Annual or overwintering herbs. Tap root long, slender, pale. Stems stout, erect, glabrous, 20-180 cm tall, hollow expect at nodes, branched apically. Leaves basal and cauline, basal leaves with more or less winged petiole, cauline leaves sessile, blades obovate to oblanceolate, 4-18 cm long, to 8 cm wide, sometimes lyrate-pinnatifid, or pinnately parted with triangular sharply toothed, acute lobes, base auriculate, amplexicaul, with rounded mucronate-toothed auricles. Inflorescence loose corymbs, branches sometimes glandular hairy, outer bracts broadly lanceolate, shorter and more acute than inner. Florets yellow, outermost purple-tinged at base. Achenes ca. 3 mm long, oblanceolate, compressed, never winged, initially yellow then brown, longitudinally 3-ribbed on each face, transversely rugose.

HSINCHU: Tuchang to Kuanwu, Peng 14893. MIAOLI: Kuanwu, Peng 8440. TAICHUNG: Lishan, Peng 12417; Wuling Farm, Peng 11067. NANTOU: Sunlinksea, Peng 10499; Mayfeng, Peng 9067. CHIAYI: Alishan, Peng 4574. HUALIEN: Kuanyuan, Peng 17049.

A widespread weed of European origin. Naturalized in waste places at mid elevations.