Plants aquatic, 4–15 cm. Rhizomes sympodial, proliferatively spreading, filiform, units 2–30 cm × 1–2 mm, roots restricted to nodes. Stems erect, 1–2.5 dm × 2–3 mm. Leaves 2–4 on fertile shoots, sessile; blade elliptic, 5–12 × 2.5–4 cm; base narrowly tapering; apex acute or acuminate. Inflorescences racemose, simple, 5–15-flowered. Flowers 3-merous; tepals conspicuous, 2.5–4 × 1.5–2 mm; filaments 1.5–2 mm; anthers 0.5–0.7 mm; ovary globose or cylindrical, 2–2.5 × 1.5–2.4 mm; style 0.5–1.5 mm; stigma distinctively 3-lobed; pedicel 1–3 × 0.5 mm. Berries green with fine red spots when young, maturing to red, globose, 4–6 mm diam. Seeds 1–3, globose, 2 mm. 2n = 36.

Phenology: Flowering May–Jun, fruits retained through Sep.
Habitat: Often forming dense clonal patches in sphagnum bogs, muskegs, and wet forests
Elevation: 0–1000 m

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

St. Pierre and Miquelon, Alta., B.C., Man., N.B., Nfld. and Labr., N.W.T., N.S., Nunavut, Ont., P.E.I., Que., Sask., Yukon, Conn., Maine, Mass., Mich., Minn., N.H., N.J., N.Y., Ohio, Pa., R.I., Vt., Wis., Asia (Siberia).

Discussion

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.