Robust herb, to 3 m tall (usually less), often growing in water; moderately to densely strigose on most parts. Leaves sessile or subsessile; blades linear-lanceolate, long-acuminate at apex, abruptly decurrent at base, 10-30 cm long, 1-3.5 cm wide, strigose-ciliate, inconspicuously pellucid-punctate; ocreae 2-3 cm long, apically ciliate with long strigose pubescence 1-1.5 cm long. Inflorescences terminal, spikelike racemes or panicles of few branches; flowers continuous on rachis, fasciculate, whitish, subtended by ciliate, imbricate ocreolae 2-3.5 mm long; pedicels exceeding ocreolae ca 1 mm, conspicuously articulate at apex; tepals 4 (5), ovate, 2.5-3.5 mm long; stamens usually 6, exserted, ca 3.5 mm long; ovary lenticular; styles 2, 2-3 mm long. Achenes lenticular, 2-2.5 mm long, 1.5-2 mm wide, brown to black, beaked. White 142.