Erect perennial herb to over 1 m high, often with numerous leafy stolons from base; stems covered with dense curved or curled hairs that are rarely restricted to lines decurrent from leaf bases. Leaves usually opposite on lower stems, alternate near inflorescences, narrow-lanceolate to lanceolate, 3–8 cm long, 4–10 mm wide, more or less sessile, with distinct widely spaced teeth mostly on distal margins, base cordate to almost auriculate. Inflorescences nodding. Flowers with a conspicuous ring of long hairs inside the hypanthium; sepals linear-lanceolate, 5–7 mm long; petals white or purplish-pink, 7.5–14 mm long. Capsule 4.5–9.5 cm long, with a close pubescence; pedicel 1–2 cm long; seeds 0.9–1 mm long, papillose, comose. Flowers mainly Oct.–Mar.

GleP, Brid, VVP, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, GGr, NIS, EGL, EGU, HSF, HNF, OtR, Strz, MonT, VAlp. Also SA, NSW, Tas. New Zealand. Widespread but uncommon across higher rainfall parts of Victoria, mostly growing on banks of slow-flowing watercourses, and in swamps and marshes. .

Ephedra distachya