Distribution: Widely distributed on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across North America to the Atlantic Coast.

Habitat: Variety of habitats, sea level to mid-elevations in the mountains.

Flowers: April-June

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Annual

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Ants, bees, flies, butterflies, beetles, wasps

Scrambling annual, the weak stem 1-10 dm. tall, little branched, square with retrorse hooks on the angles.

Leaves mostly in whorls of 8, tipped with a sharp point, narrow, 1-nerved, 1-4 cm. long, with stiff, recurved hairs on the margins and mid-rib beneath.

Inflorescences of 3-5 flowers on peduncles in the leaf axils which surpass the whorl of leaves, usually with a whorl of small leaves at the summit, or the peduncles in threes at the ends of short, axillary branches; pedicels straight and ascending; calyx obsolete; corolla rotate, 1-2 mm. wide, greenish-white, the 4 lobes much longer than the tube; styles 2, short; ovary 2-celled, inferior.

Fruit dry, 2-4 mm. long, covered with hooked bristles.