General:
Annual or biennial herb from a taproot; stems ascending to erect, simple or much-branched with several stems from the base, slimy-hairy especially above, 5-40 cm tall.

Leaves:
Alternate, mostly stalked, usually hairy and slightly glandular; lower leaves 1-2 times pinnately cleft, the blades to 3.5 cm long and 2 cm wide; middle and upper leaves progressively less divided upwards, the uppermost leaves (below the flower clusters) smaller than the others, nearly unstalked, elliptic, merely toothed or entire.

Flowers:
Inflorescence of dense, head-like, terminal (and sometimes axillary) clusters; corollas pink, lavender or white, the slightly flaring tube 8-17 mm long, spreading to five, 3- 4 mm long lobes; calyces 5-8 mm long, the five lobes narrowly lanceolate.

Fruits:
Capsules, with 2- or 3-seeded chambers; seeds becoming sticky when moistened.

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Illustration Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia