HABIT	A FLESHY, TUFTED, ANNUAL OR PERENNIAL AQUATIC HERB WITH A GLABROUS, SHINY APPEARANCE; 10-50 CM TALL.
STEMS	A SHORT RHIZOME
LEAVES	SIZE AND SHAPE IS HIGHLY VARIABLE. IN YOUNG PLANTS WITHOUT LAMINA, THE LEAVES ARE 2-12.5 CM LONG AND 0.5-10 CM WIDE. IN SOMEWHAT OLDER PLANTS, THE LEAVES ARE FLOATING, LINEAR OR LANCEOLATE AND IN STILL OLDER PLANTS, ARE OVATE-OBLONG TO BROADLY OVATE, SHARPLY ACUMINATE WITH A HEART-SHAPED OR ROUNDED BASE, SHINY, DEEP-GREEN, AND WITH LONGITUDINAL VEINS. THE PETIOLES ARE SOFT AND HOLLOW.
FLOWERS	INFLORESCENCE IS SPICATE, 3-6 CM LONG, BASALLY OPPOSITE THE SHEATH OF THE FLORAL LEAF WITH A LARGE BRACT ARISING FROM A THICKENED BUNDLE ON THE LEAF STALK, ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THE WAY UP THE STALK FROM THE BASE. THE FLOWERS ARE PEDICELLED, BISEXUAL, LILAC OR VIOLET COLORED.
FRUITS	CAPSULE, 1 CM IN SIZE, SPLITS BETWEEN THE PARTITIONS INTO THREE VALVES.
SEEDS	LONGITUDINALLY RIBBED.