This eastern North American variety has been collected as a waif in industrial land near New Westminster (Lomer 96-140) and as an escape from cultivation in Greater Vancouver (Lomer 4653 @ UBC). This variety was not included in the Illustrated Flora of British Columbia. In BC, we presently recognize the varieties of this species, although Flora North America lumps them. One variety (var. atkinsoniana) is presently confirmed as part of our flora. Note Author: Frank Lomer, Honourary Research Associate, University of British Columbia Herbarium

General:
Annual or biennial herb from a fibrous root; stems erect, glabrous, branched, 0.3-1.2 m tall.

Leaves:
Lower stem leaves opposite, pinnately cut or bipinnately cut, the ultimate segments linear or linear-elliptic, 5-16 cm long, including the stalk; the upper leaves pinnately divided into 3-5 linear segments or entire.

Flowers:
Heads with ray and disk flowers, several to numerous on long, slender stalks at the end of the branches; involucres 6-10 mm tall; involucral bracts markedly different, the inner 6-8 mm long, egg-shaped, brown with yellow margins, the outer reduced, 7-8, narrowly triangular, obtuse, 2-3 mm long; ray flowers orange-yellow, often with a purplish-brown basal spot, about 8, 1-2 cm long; disk flowers purplish-brown; receptacular bracts linear-oblong, orange-red.

Fruits:
Achenes black, 2-3 mm long, margins narrowly-winged; pappus lacking or of 2 small teeth.

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia