Perennial, to 1.2 m high, glabrous or pubescent with short crisped hairs; stem erect, much-branched. Basal leaves petiolate, oblanceolate, 7–30 cm long, 1–12 cm wide, apex acute, margins toothed to pinnatisect; cauline leaves sessile, reduced to scale-leaves at extremities of branches. Capitula 2.5–3 cm diam., 1–3 in axils of reduced leaves; involucre 9–12 mm long; outer bracts lanceolate, straw-coloured at base, green at apex; inner bracts linear-lanceolate, c. twice as long as outer ones, mostly green. Florets 15–30, sky-blue, rarely pink or white; ligule 15–25 mm long. Cypselas 2–3 mm long, striate, pale brown or mottled; pappus of numerous scales 0.2–0.4 mm long. Flowers mainly spring and summer.
MuM, Wim, GleP, VVP, VRiv, RobP, MuF, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, NIS, EGL, EGU, HSF, HNF. Also naturalised WA, SA, Qld, NSW, ACT, Tas, New Zealand. Native to Europe, northern Africa and Asia. A widespread weed of roadsides, wasteland and other disturbed sites, particularly in areas where formerly cultivated. .
