Japan Flora: Stems elongate, loosely branch ing; leaves verticillate in 4s to 8s, narrowly lanceolate, spreading, 1-nerved, 1-2 cm. long, 1.5-2 mm: wide, serrate, acuminate and ending in a minute spine; pistillate flowers axillary; seeds 1-3, acute at both ends, 5-6 mm. long, short-cylindrical. Aug.-Oct Ponds.
Hokkaido (rare), Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu; common. Eurasia, Malaysia, Australia, and Madagascar.