Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to Oregon; scattered areas of central and eastern North America.

Habitat: Woodlands at low elevations.

Flowers: May-June

Origin: Introduced from Europe

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

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

Vanilla-scented, rhizomatous perennial, the stems 1.5-5 dm. tall, glabrous except for retrorse, sharp hairs at the nodes.

Leaves mostly in whorles of 8, occasionally 6 or 10, sessile, oblanceolate to narrowly elliptic, tipped with a sharp point, 1.5-5 cm. long and 4-12 mm. wide, with scabrous hairs on the margins.

Inflorescence a terminal, naked cyme; calyx obsolete; corolla white, 3-5 mm. long, the 4 lobes flaring, about equal in length to the tube; stamens alternating with the corolla lobes, attached to the corolla; ovary 2-celled, inferior.

Fruit dry, about 3 mm. long, covered with hooked bristles.