Taprooted annual. Stems erect, branched, 10–60 cm. Herbage strigose, glandular. Leaves opposite below; blade ovate, 1–8 cm long, ca. twice pinnatifid. Female heads 1-flowered. Male heads cup-shape, villous, glandular, 2–3 mm wide with 12 to 20 florets, spreading on peduncles ca. 0.5 mm long. Bur 2–3 mm long, ovoid, beaked, glandular, villous with few short spines around the middle (
Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).