 This lily grows in 5–7 meters of water and is restricted to the fresh water lakes of Northland and Fiordland regions of the North and South Island, respectively.Consisting of multiple 20–40 mm small tussocks and fibrous roots the plant is often partially buried under sediment or algae with only the leaf tips exposed.As the plant is Monoicous individual male and female flowers are found on the same plant, however, in nature plants containing flowers of both sexes are rare.