Plants perennial, stoloniferous, with some culms arching or decumbent and rooting at tips. Rhizomes caudexlike, concealed by crowded culms, ascending or partly horizontal, very short, 3 mm thick, internodes crowded. Culms compressed, 0.3–2 mm thick. Leaves: distal leaf sheaths persistent, papery, apex obtuse to subacute, tooth absent. Spikelets terete, basal spikelets absent; floral scales spiraled, membranous to cartilaginous; styles 3-fid, or 3-fid and 2-fid. Achenes medium to dark brown, beak paler, plano-convex to trigonous or biconvex, usually distally narrowed into a distinct beak, rugulose at 10X or smooth or finely reticulate at 10–30X. Tubercles usually obscure or absent, often merging with achene apex in color, texture, and form.

Distribution

North America, Mexico, West Indies, South America.

Discussion

Species 2 (1 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Eleocharis rostellata