It is native to eastern and central North America (from Texas and Florida north to Ontario and Massachusetts), with additional populations in California, Oregon, and west-central Mexico (Durango, Jalisco, etc.).

[1][2][3][4] It grows in and around freshwater in lakes, ponds, and other bodies of water.

It is a rhizomatous perennial herb growing one half to one meter in height.

The spongy, compressible stem is a few millimeters wide and sharply four-angled.

The inflorescence is a single spikelet 1.5 to 7.5 centimeters long which is made up of several flowers covered in light brown bracts.