Annual (or biennual), up to 50 cm tall, with a single stem usually branched above, glabrous, rarely very sparsely hairy with simple short hairs. Basal leaves sub-pinnatipartite or obscurely dissected, shortly petiolate, somewhat rosulate, drying early; cauline leaves usually elliptic, oblanceolate, irregularly dentate generally 3-5 cm long; upper almost entire or sparsely slightly toothed, linear or narrowly oblanceolate or sub-spathulate. Flowers and fruits like the above, species but petals usually present, rudimentary and shorter than sepals; pedicels hairy, slightly longer and comparatively more spreading, 3.5-5 mm long.

Fl. Per.: April-June.

Type: Russia, Astrachan, Blume (LE).

Distribution: C. Asia, Himalayas & Caucasus.

Often confused with L. apetalum Willd. in the absence of basal or lower leaves. Its slightly or obscurely dissected or irregularly dentate lower and basal, simple leaves are distinctive. There appears to be overlapping of leaf character of the two species in the W. Himalayan region, when the plants become smaller and the leaves narrower and thinner, but its glabrous stem (not with capitate hairs) distinguishes it.