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

Habitat: Roadsides, railways, fields, and other disturbed, open areas.

Flowers: May-August

Origin: Introduced from Europe

Growth Duration: Annual

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Glabrous, glaucous annual from a taproot, the stem usually simple, up to 8 dm. tall.

Leaves mostly cauline, opposite, entire, lanceolate or oblanceolate, sessile and auriculate, 4-9 cm. long and 0.5-3 cm. broad.

Flowers numerous in a flat-topped inflorescence; calyx tubular, 5-lobed, 10-14 mm. long, glabrous and purplish, much inflated and strongly 5-winged in fruit; petals 5, pink to red, the claw exceeding the calyx, the blade 5-8 mm. long, obovate with a wedge-shaped base and a slight notch.

Capsule 1-celled.