Habit: Proserpinaca palustris grows as a perennial herb spreading and rooting at the nodes and ascending to 50 cm in height The leaves are arranged alternately, sessile, up to 7 cm in length and 1.5 cm wide. Submerged leaves are divided into filiform segments to pinnatifid and emergent leaves are ovate to lanceolate with a serrated margin. The vegetation can also be red to orange.
The incomplete, perfect, actinomorphic flowers are solitary or in clusters in leaf axils and subtended by bracts. The calyx has 3, green, fused sepals that form a tube. The petals are highly reduced. There are 3 stamens. The inferior ovary has 3 locules and numerous ovules. The fruit is a triangular/angular capsule/achene at maturity.
Habitat: Proserpinaca palustris grows in Fresh Water Wetlands and Sabal palmetto Woodlands.
Distribution: Proserpinaca palustris is occurs on all island groupings within the Lucayan Archipelago as well as the general Caribbean region and Central and North America.
Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Proserpinaca palustris is not known to be used medicinally in the Lucayan Archipelago.
It has been used in the aquarium and terrarium trade.