Annual or biennial, to 90 cm high, with coarse hairs on lower leaves and stems. Stems usually stiffly branched, often purplish. Basal leaves in rosette, to 25 cm long but often much shorter, deeply pinnately dissected with 3–5 pairs of lateral lobes, margins toothed; stem leaves smaller towards inflorescence. Sepals 2–3 mm long; petals 2–4 mm long. Fruit erect, narrow-conical, straight, 1–2 cm long, c. 2 mm wide at base, often purplish; style indistinct, 0.5–1 mm long; pedicels appressed, 1–3 mm long. Flowers mostly spring.
LoM, MuM, Wim, GleP, VVP, VRiv, MuF, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, NIS, EGL, EGU, HSF, HNF, Strz, MonT, VAlp. Naturalized all States except NT, also New Zealand, etc. Native to Europe, North Africa, Asia. A common weed of agriculture, but widespread through a range of habitats.
