Leaves are submersed, finely dissected, and occur in whorls of 5 or more. Individual leaves are linear in outline, to inch long, and are toothed along one margin only. Leaves become more and more crowded toward the stem tip. Rough feeling, branched, reaching 15 feet or more in length. Stems are either floating free or attached to the substrate below via rhizoids.
Flowers are inconspicuous and have no sepals and petals.
Flowers also remain submersed throughout the year. Submersed aquatic weed that resembles a coon's tail. The toothed margin along one side of the leaves of coontail help to distinguish this from most other submersed aquatic weeds.