General: Annual or biennial herb from a fibrous root; stems erect, branched above, solitary or more usually several, glabrous, often glaucous, exuding milky juice when broken, 30-90 cm tall.
Leaves: Basal leaves lacking; stem leaves alternate; basal and lower leaves 6-18 cm long, 3-8 cm wide, pinnately cut with a broad, ivylike terminal segment, the bases with earlike and clasping flanges, glabrous, middle and upper leaves few and reduced.
Flowers: Heads with strap-shaped flowers, numerous in a rounded inflorescence; involucres 9-11 mm tall; involucral bracts in 2 series, the outer lanceolate, the inner much reduced, linear, glabrous or nearly so; ray flowers yellow, 5.
Fruits: Achenes several-nerved, approximately 4 mm long including the 1 mm long beak; pappus white.
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range. (Updated August, 2013)
A shade-tolerant/intolerant, submontane to montane, European forb introduced to Pacific, Cordilleran, and Atlantic North America. Occurs in maritime to submaritime cool mesothermal climates on fresh to moist, nitrogen-rich soils; its occurrence decreases with increasing elevation and continentality. Frequent in semi-open, seral forests on disturbed water-shedding and water-receiving sites; common, occasionally dominant, in early-seral communities on cutover and burnt site (often inhabits exposed mineral soil). Often grows with Achlys triphylla, Epilobium angustifolium, Kindbergia oregana, Polystichum munitum, and Tiarella trifoliata. A nitrophytic species characteristic of Moder and Mull humus forms.
