Plants are upright smooth perennials, with stout underground stems from which new growth emerges. Its preferred habitat is ponds, lakes, ditches and marshes. Distribution is throughout the Escambia region. The leaves are paddle-shaped on tall stems. A leaf may reach a length of 24 inches, broadly lance-like, widest at the middle to sometimes almost oval-shaped. The leaf base is wedge shaped or rounded. The flowers are in whorls along a stem that is usually taller than the leaves. There will be three conspicuous petals about 1 and 1/2 inch in diameter. The flowers are imperfect (not bisexual), with the female flowers on the lower stem. The male flowers are above. Each flower will have three white sepals. Flowers occur in the spring, but it is not uncommon for those in protected ponds with warmer waters to continue flowering until frost.

Fruit is an achene (one-seeded fruit in which the outer layer is fused to the seed).

Of interest: The tubers are edible after cooking for about 30 minutes. S. graminea is similar to lancifolia, but has linear or grass-like leaves.