Crampons hold a long stem to the substrate. The large leaves are speckled with tiny asperities and have a serrated border. Padancles hold the oval-shaped floats, sometimes known as aero cysts, to the stem. When the growing phase comes to a close, they break off from the bottom and either fail on the beach or float on the surface carried by the stream. The range of plant height is 10–200 cm. Dark brown to yellowish-brown in hue.