Ceska and Ceska (2010) provide the following note about this species: "North American species distributed in eastern North America; in the Pacific Northwest known from Alaska & British Columbia. Easily overlooked since it grows relatively deep at the bottom of dystrophic lakes. Usually copiously fruiting at the base of the stem leaves. Winter buds absent."

General:
Perennial submersed aquatic from a rhizome; stems slim, 1-2 mm wide, dark reddish-green, forming dense stands of more or less uniform height, 30-70 cm tall.

Leaves:
Partly in whorls of 3 to 6, and partly scattered alternate; pinnate, the divisions finely capillary in 5 to 7 opposite or subopposite pairs, with minute black glands in the axils; winter buds absent.

Flowers:
Unisexual, solitary in the axils of the leaves; petals 4, purplish, oblong; stamens 4, anthers minute, abortive; styles 4, short.

Fruits:
Mericarps, 4, angular, 2 mm long, 1.5 to 2 mm wide, with tiny warts on the dorsal ridge.

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