Herbs, perennial. Roots: rhizomes present. Stems erect to ascending, to 1 m. Leaves spirally arranged; leaf sheaths with red hairs at summit; blade lanceolate-elliptic to lanceolate-oblong, 6--20 ´ 1--5 cm, apex acuminate. Inflorescences: distal cyme vestigial, included (very rarely 1-flowered and exserted); spathes clustered, subsessile, funnelform, 1.5--3.5 ´ 1.2--2 cm, margins connate basally, glabrous (rarely puberulent). Flowers bisexual (rarely staminate); petals all pale blue, proximal one smaller; staminodes 3; antherodes entirely yellow, cruciform. Capsules 3-locular, 2-valved, (5.5--)6--9 ´ 3--6 mm. Seeds 5, brown, (2.4--)3--5(--6) ´ 2.4--3.1 mm, smooth with a few, shallow, irregular depressions, farinose. n = 30.

Flowering midsummer--fall. Wet places, especially swamps, river and stream banks, ditches, and bottomlands, shade or full sun; Ala., Ark., Del., D.C., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Ky., La., Md., Miss., Mo., N.J., N.C., Okla., Pa., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va.