It has a simple plant body, known as a thallus, which floats on the surface of the water and measures 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) in diameter.

Found in a wide range of still or slow-flowing water bodies, this common duckweed can also grow on mud or damp rocks.

[7] Elsewhere, the species has a very wide global distribution, absent only from polar areas and the tropics.

[8] Distribution information for this species can be accessed via the Charms of Duckweed Archived 2012-08-19 at the Wayback Machine (worldwide) and National Biodiversity Network Gateway (Britain only).

This species spreads mainly through vegetative reproduction,[9] but flowers are occasionally produced in shallow water exposed to full sun.