Plants perennial, of marshes, with creeping rhizomes. Stems erect, leafy, unbranched. Leaves alternate, linear, sheathing at base; sheaths open, with a prominent ligule at juncture of sheath and blade; sheath remains often persistent, intravaginal hairs numerous. Racemes terminal, few flowered. Flowers bisexual, 3-merous, bracteate. Pedicels elongating following fertilization. Perianth segments 6, in 2 series, sepaloid, free, persistent; stamens 6, free, with elongated filaments; anthers basifixed, linear, extrorse, opening by longitudinal slits. Pistils 3(-6), distinct to connate at base; stigmas sessile, papillose; ovules 2 or few in each carpel. Fruiting carpels follicular, inflated; follicles 1-4 per aggregate. Seeds 1 or 2(or 3), without endosperm; embryo straight.

Zhou Lingyun. 1992. Scheuchzeriaceae. In: Sun Xiangzhong, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 8: 125-127.

One species: widely distributed in the cooler parts of the N temperate zone in Asia, Europe, and North America.

(Authors: Guo Youhao (郭友好)[23]; Robert R. Haynes[24], C. Barre Hellquist[25])