Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Atlantic Coast.

Habitat: Roadsides, fields, ditches, wastelots and other disturbed open areas.

Flowers: April-Septemeber

Origin: Introduced from Europe

Growth Duration: Annual, Biennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bees, flies, butterflies

Annual or biennial herb, glabrous or sparsely hairy with fleshy or slender roots.

Alternately arranged basal or cauline leaves. Basal leaves petiole 2-10 cm long, blade is lyrate-pinnatifid to pinnate to pinnatisect, 10-40 cm; margins sinuate with 2-4 lateral lobes. Cauline leaves sessile with the base auriculate to amplexicaul in shape.

Flowers in small racemes terminally from leaf axils, with fruiting pedicels ascending to spreading, 10-25 mm. Sepals 4, green to yellow; petals 4, pale to deep yellow, 1 cm long; 6 stamens, 2 shorter than the others; superior ovary with one 2-carpellate pistil.

Siliques up to 7cm long with s slender beaked tip.

Black, brown or reddish in color, 1-2 mm in diameter. Seed coat is very finely reticulate to lightly alveolate.