Annuals or biennials; sparse-ly to densely hirsute basally or throughout, or glabrous. Rhizomes absent. Stems erect, ascending, or decumbent, branched or unbranched, (0.6-)1-5 dm, (slightly flexuous). Basal l eaves (often withered by anthesis), not rosulate, 5-15-foliolate, (2.7-)4-14 (-19) cm, leaflets petiolulate; petiole 0.7-5 cm, (ciliate or not); lateral leaflet blade oblong, ovate, or elliptic, smaller than terminal, margins entire, repand, crenate, or 3 (or 5)-lobed; terminal leaflet (petiolule 0.3-1.7 cm), blade reniform, broadly ovate, or suborbicular, 0.5-2.5 cm × 4-30 mm, margins repand, crenate, or 3 or 5-lobed. Cauline leaves 3-15, 5-15-foliolate [leaves (2-)3.5-5.5(-7) cm, including petiole], petiolate, leaflets petiolulate; petiole base not auriculate; lateral leaflets similar to basal, (0.4-2.5 mm wide). Racemes ebracteate. Fruiting pedicels divaricate or ascending, (5-)6-14(-17) mm. Flowers: sepals oblong, 1.5-2.5 × 0.7-1 mm, lateral pair not saccate basally; petals white, spatulate, 2.5-4(-5) × 1-1.7 mm; (stamens rarely 4, lateral pair absent); filaments 2-3 mm; anthers ovate, 0.3-0.5 mm. Fruits linear, (torulose), (0.8-)1.2-2.8 cm × 1-1.5 mm; ovules 18-40 per ovary; style 0.3-1(-1.5) mm. Seeds brown, oblong or subquadrate, 0.9-1.5 × 0.6-1 mm, (narrowly margined or not). 2n = 32.

Flowering Apr-Jul. Disturbed areas, fields, nurseries, plantations, gardens, flower beds, lawns, roadsides; 0-1100 m; introduced; B.C., Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.), Ont.; Ala., Calif., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., La., Md., Mich., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Oreg., R.I., Tex., Va., Wash.; Europe; e Asia; introduced also in Mexico, Central America, South America, Australia.

From Flora of Indiana (1940) by Charles C. Deam

Indiana Coefficient of Conservatism: C = null, non-native

Wetland Indicator Status: FACU