General:
Aquatic annual herb from fibrous roots; stems 3-20 cm tall.

Leaves:
All basal, tufted, linear, 5-35 cm long, 1-4 mm thick, the tips abruptly to gradually pointed; sheaths 3-10 cm long, translucent.

Flowers:
Inflorescence of 3 types either male/female flowers on spikes, male flowers mainly on top of spikes; or female mainly at base of spikes and solitary in submersed leaf axils; female/male flowers with 1 perianth part, 2-3 mm long, 1 stamen and 1 ovary; male flowers with 1 perianth part, 2-3 mm long, 1 stamen; female flowers lacking a perianth part and with 1 ovary; styles short or lacking in spike flowers or 5-25 cm long and threadlike in axillary flowers.

Fruits:
Nutlets, 2-5 mm long, with 25 to 30 ribs and several wings, the axillary, basal ones beaked at the tips.

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Illustration Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Lilaea scilloides (Poir.) Hauman