It is a dioecious perennial plant that grows to about 30 cm in height, with creeping rhizomes up to 1 m long.

It is coarse and prickly, growing in damp, saline areas such as the fringes of saltmarshes.

It often forms mats where water is abundant.

Its appearance in places from which it had been absent can be an indication of rising soil salinity.

This Chloridoideae article is a stub.