Plants annual or perennial, never stoloniferous, sometimes with creeping rhizomes 0.5–1 mm thick, tubers absent. Culms terete, to 90 cm × 2 mm. Leaves: distal leaf sheaths usually persistent, thinly membranous to papery. Spikelets terete, to 13 × 4 mm. Flowers: styles 2-fid or with to ca. 1/2 3-fid. Achenes biconvex or rarely to ca. 1/2 trigonous; angles keeled (costate), at least distally. Tubercles distinct from achene apex in color, texture, and form.

Species 18 (9 in the flora): worldwide, primarily New World temperate regions.

Lower Taxa

• ELEOCHARIS ser. MACULOSAE Svenson
• ELEOCHARIS ser. OVATAE Svenson