Biennial taprooted herbs, up to 7.5 dm tall; stem erect, straight, lateral branches on distal half of main stems at acute angles, straight; epidermis pubescent, becoming white, shedding with age; leaves alternate, rosette leaves unknown, cauline leaves 43-94(115) x 7.5-27(36) mm, rachis filiform, 1-2.4 mm wide, oblanceolate to elliptic in outline, pinnatisect with 8-20 filiform lobes, 6-12 mm apart, nearly opposite, perpendicular, regular, up to 3.2-17 mm long with acute apex, margins revolute, abaxial surface pubescence with greater density of simple grappling-hook, complex grappling-hook, and occasionally with needle-like trichomes than adaxial surface, adaxial surface with needle-like trichomes; inflorescence cymose, bract subtending inferior ovary entire to pinnate, 7-20 x 0.5-5.6 mm; calyx 6-11 x 1-3 mm, apices acute to attenuate, margins entire; petals five, yellow, glabrous, oblanceolate, 14-18.5 x 3.6-6 mm, apex acute; androecium yellow, stamens numerous, those of inner whorls shorter than outer whorls, filaments glabrous, anther epidermis not papillate, straight following dehiscence; outer whorl of stamens or staminodial and petaloid, oblanceolate, 10.3-14(18) x (1.4)2.5-4.4 mm, without anther, staminode apex acute; second whorl of stamens all fertile; ovary inferior, funnelform, 3 carpellate; style 10-12.5(14) mm long, stigmas 3; fruit a capsule, cylindrical, 11-19.3 x 5-7.5 mm, opening apically by three valves, base tapering; seeds grey to light brown, lenticular-ovoid, winged, 2.9-3.2 mm; testa reticulate, seed coat anticlinal cell walls sinuate, central papillae generally 42-48 per cell. Chromosome number: n = 10 (Thompson 3553 [US]). Flowers from July to September.