It was first described by William Trelease and published in the book "Publications of the Field Museum of Natural History, Botanical Series 13(2): 105.

It is a sub-small turfy herb, with a graceful stem 1-2 millimeters thick and grayish-pubescent.

Leaves at the node at 2-4 elliptic on both sides and sub-acute small that are 2-2.5 centimeters long and 1.5 centimeters wide when dry.

It is subtly conspicuously venulous, 3-veined, pinkish rib, sub-persistently pubescent on both sides.

petiole is barely 5 millimeters long more or less pubescent; spikes terminal or in axillary whorls and fallen leaves false paniculate 30 millimeters long 1-millimeter thick laxiflora, peduncle 1 centimeter long pubescent; plates round-peltate; berry sub mucronate round, stigma oblique.