Perennial, 1-2 m. Stolons, e.g. 3 mm diam., covered by brown or reddish-brown scales, longer than internodes. Stem 4-8 mm diam., terete or obtusely trigonous, green or greyish green, "noded" by transversal internal tissue plates. Leaves reduced; sheaths to 40 cm, soft, yellowish-brown or often reddish, mouth oblique; blades of uppermost sheaths up to 30 mm. Inflorescence a compound anthelodium, 9-16 cm; bracts to 9-30 mm, upright, rigid; primary branches 7-15, up to 12 cm; secondary anthelodia 15-50 mm, with bracts to 8 mm, secondary branches up to 20 mm; cluster of spikes of 5-14 spreading spikes, globular or slightly elongated, greyish green or brown; spikes 5-25 x c.1.5 mm, slightly compressed, with 8-24 glumes, glume-like bract to 2 mm, acute, glume-like prophyll bi-nerved, base spongy; rachis c. 0.5 mm wide, internodes c. 0.8 mm, winged; glumes c. 3 mm, cymbiform, obtuse, mid-nerve area greenish, later pale yellow, with several nerves ending below apex, sides pale yellow, brown or reddish-brown, margins widely scarious. Nut c. 1.6 x 0.5 mm, narrowly obovoid, trigonous, sides concave, brown or silvery brown, glossy, finely reticulate and papillose.

Fl. Per.: July.

Type: "Habitat in Jamaicae rivulis." To be expected in Multan (Stewart, l.c. 1972).

In shallow water, in pools, channels, marshy ground; Distribution: In tropical and subtropical regions from Bangla Desh and Sri Lanka west to Africa and Americas.

At present, not recorded for Pakistan. Closest record from India, Punjab: Karnal, Drummond 24711 (K).