Annuals; glabrous or sparsely pubescent. Stems erect, branched proximally and distally, (1-)2-6(-7.5) dm, glabrous or sparsely pubescent at least basally. Basal leaves not rosulate; petiole (0.5-)1-4.5(-6) cm; blade oblanceolate or oblong (in outline), (1.5-)3-12 (-15) cm × (5-)10-60(-90) mm, margins runcinate to pinnatisect; lobes (1-)2-6(-8) on each side, oblong or lanceolate, smaller than terminal lobe, margins entire, dentate, or lobed. Cauline leaves similar to basal; (distalmost) blade (smaller, to 2 cm wide), margins entire or 1-3-lobed. Fruiting pedicels divaricate or ascending, slender, much narrower than fruit, (5-)7-12(-20) mm. Flowers: sepals erect, oblong, 2-2.5 × 1-1.5 mm; petals oblong-oblanceolate, 2.5-3.5(-4) × 1-1.5 mm, claw 1-1.5 mm; filaments 2.5-4 mm; anthers ovate, 0.5-0.9 mm. Fruits (divaricate to ascending, young fruits overtopping flowers), narrowly linear, straight or slightly curved inward, slightly torulose, slender, (2.5-)3-4(-5) cm × 0.9-1.1 mm; valves glabrous; ovules 40-90 per ovary; style 0.2-0.5 mm; stigma prominently 2-lobed. Seeds 0.8-1 × 0.5-0.6 mm. 2n = 14. Flowering Dec-May. Rocky slopes, orchards, roadsides, fields, pastures, waste grounds, prairies, disturbed sites; 0-1700 m; introduced; Ariz., Calif., Colo., Conn., Fla., Idaho, Mass., Mich., Nev., N.Mex., Ohio, Pa., Tex., Utah, Wyo.; Europe; w, c Asia; n Africa; introduced also in South America, Australia.

Plant: Annual forb to 90 cm, branched from near base; hairs 0 or above, few, ± short, thin Leaves: leaves alternate, variable in length; basal not clustered, petioled, pinnately lobed, terminal lobe > lateral, often hastate; upper cauline pinnately lobed to ± entire INFLORESCENCE: racemes, many-flowered; bracts 0 Flowers: bisexual; sepals 4, free, erect to ± spreading; petals (0)4, free, 2.5-4 mm, barely > sepals, narrowly oblong, pale yellow, claws long; stamens generally (2,4)6, generally 4 long, 2 short; ovary 1, superior, chambers generally 2, septum membranous, connecting 2 parietal placentas, style 1, stigma simple or 2-lobed Fruit: a linear capsule, terete, 3-4 cm long, capsules with 2 deciduous valves, generally overtopping flowers; pedicel ascending, 5-11 mm, width < fruit width; style ± 0.5 mm; valves prominently veined; stigma 2-lobed; Seed < 1 mm, oblong, ± papillate; embryonic root obliquely at back of 1 cotyledon; enerally 1 row per chamber; margin 0 Misc: Disturbed areas, orchards, roadsides; < 800 m; Jan-Ap Notes: pedicels 6-10mm, ascending; petals clawed References: J.C. Hickman, ed. The Jepson Manual. W.B. McDougal. Seed plants of Northern Arizona. USDA website. ASU specimens.