Mat-forming perennial; stems 30 cm or more long, spongy, with whorled feathery roots at the nodes. Leaf-blades flat, ovate-oblong, obtuse, 2.5-7.5 cm long, 12-20 mm wide, scaberulous above, smooth and glaucous beneath, rounded or subcordate at the base. Panicle triangular, 3-6 cm long and wide, the lower branches spreading or sometimes deflexed. Spikelets sessile or very shortly pedicelled with a long pedicel-like callus articulated with the panicle-branch or pedicel and falling with the spikelet; body of lemma up to 10 mm long, passing into the 10-12 mm long, scaberulous awn.

Type locality: India.

Distribution: as for genus.

A floating grass forming pure mats on the surface of the water; cattle are fond of it and people have been known to eat the grain.