Fibrous-rooted biennial; lvs 3-5-parted; bractlets like the bracts but smaller; fls white, the fertile on pedicels 0.5-1 mm, the sterile few, mostly concealed by the fertile; sep subulate, surpassing the pet; anthers white; fr subglobose, on pedicels 1-1.5 mm, the bristles surpassing the inconspicuous styles and about equaling the sep; 2n=16. Woods; Vt. and s. Ont. to Minn. and S.D., s. to Fla. and Tex. June-Aug.
Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.