It is native to much of the temperate world, where it grows in many types of wet habitat.

It is semiaquatic, growing in moist land habitat such as meadows, in mud and wet sand next to water, and partly submersed or floating in the water.

It is a fleshy annual herb forming low tufts in muddy substrate.

The inflorescence is an erect stalk bearing one tiny white to pink- or blue-tinted flower about 2 millimetres (0.08 in) wide.

The fruit is a capsule up to 5 mm (0.20 in) wide containing many tiny seeds.