Stems filiform, much-branched, up to 2 dm. or more long in water, forming matted patches on mud. Lvs on filiform petioles up to 3 mm. long; lamina rhomboid to suborbicular, membr., (2)-3-4 × (1)-3-4 mm., ± cuneately narrowed to base; margins us. with 1 minute tooth, or a pair. ♂ and ♀ sts together, on very short peduncles; bracts 0; stamens and styles very short. Fr. ± orbicular, emarginate, ± 1·5 mm. diam.; commissural groove deep; wings pale, broad, ± crisped. Seeds brown.

2n = 10

Monoecious, prostrate, branching, terrestrial herb. Lvs 2.5-7.5 × 1.5-4.8 mm; lamina thin, typically rhomboid, broader than long, with a single small tooth on either side and with a free vein running to it, otherwise 3-5-nerved; earlier-formed lvs simpler in outline. Fls usually 1 ♂ and 1 ♀ together in an axil, ebracteolate. Filaments c. 0.2-0.3 mm long. Styles c. 0.05 mm long, lengthening to 0.15 mm in young fr. but falling before maturity. Fr. 1.1-(1.2) × (1.2)-1.3-(1.4) mm, broadly obcordate or oblong, ferrugineous; wing broad and conspicuous, membranous, crispate, pale brown or whitish; faces shallowly grooved; commissural groove deep.