Stems (1-)4-35 cm, glabrous to or often glandular-pubescent, especially proximally, often glaucous. Leaves: basal blades oblanceolate, 5-25 mm; cauline leaves in 1-4 pairs, blade 2-30 mm, margins ciliate. Flowers: sepals 2.5-4.5 mm; petals 3-5 mm. Capsules 4-8 mm. 2n = 20, 40 (both Europe). Flowering late winter-early spring. Lawns, roadsides, waste places; 50-1700 m; introduced; B.C., N.B., Ont.; Ala., Ark., Calif., Colo., Conn., Del., D.C., Ga., Idaho, Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., Md., Mass., Mich., Mo., Mont., Nebr., Nev., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Oreg., Pa., R.I., S.C., S.Dak., Tenn., Utah, Va., Wash., W.Va., Wis., Wyo.; Europe (e Mediterranean region); c, sw Asia; Africa (Mediterranean region); introduced in South America (Argentina), w Europe, Africa (Republic of South Africa).