It grows in wetlands in Europe, North Africa, northern and central Asia (Siberia, China, Mongolia, Iran, Nepal, etc.)

and North America (United States, Canada, Greenland, northern Mexico).

[3][4][5][6][7][8] Eleocharis palustris is not easily distinguished from other closely related species and is extremely variable worldwide itself.

The species epithet palustris is Latin for "of the marsh" and indicates its common habitat.

[9] Numerous names have been proposed for subspecies and varieties.