Annual, with a slender (not tuberous) tap root, erect, simple or branched, 20-60 cm tall, roughly hispid below and somewhat glaucous above. Lower leaves lyrate-pinnatifid, 1-4 jugate, with a large rounded terminal lobe; upper leaves smaller, oblong, pinnately lobed or toothed. Racemes and flowers ± similar to the following species. Siliquae (15-) 20-60 mm long, 3-5(-7) mm broad, ± constricted between 3-8 seeds and ending into a slender beak; valves firm and readily breaking into 1-seeded parts; seeds ovoid or spherical, 1.5-2.5 mm in diam.