A perennial plant is 3-7' tall and unbranched. Leaves are 1½–6' long and up to ½" across; green, glabrous, linear, and rather stiff; ascending to slightly spreading. Inflorescence spike-like, terminal, cylindric; staminate flowers above, pistillate flowers below; flowers 1000+, staminate mixed with many papery scales; pistillate pedicels clustered on short, peg-like stalk; staminate flower: pollen grains single; pistillate flower- stigma linear; sterile ovary truncate, ± = pedicel hairs, green when fresh, pale brown when dry, hair tips brownish. Fruit minute, fusiform, falling with pedicel and hairs; wall thin, splitting in water

Diuretic, emmenagogue and haemostatic (pollen); anticoagulant and hemostatic (dried pollen).

Plants For A Future

The pollen is used internally in the treatment of kidney stones, internal haemorrhage of almost any kind, painful menstruation, abnormal uterine bleeding, post-partum pains, abscesses and cancer of the lymphatic system, and externally in the treatment of tapeworms, diarrhoea and injuries. An infusion of the root has been used in the treatment of gravel.

Should not be prescribed for pregnant women.