Japan Flora: Slender, glabrous biennial with fibrous roots; stems 10-20 cm. long, sometimes branched at base; leaves rather loose, thin, broadly ovate to elliptic, 1-2 cm. long, 7-12 mm. wide, obtuse, nar­rowed below to a petiolelike base, entire, green, the midrib slender, the upper (verticillate) leaves similar and slightly larger, the involucral leaves broadly ovate, 1-1.2 cm. long; cyathia pale yellow, the gland lunate, about 1 mm. wide; capsules about 2 mm. across, smooth, 3-angled; seeds about 1.5    mm. long, impressed-punctate. May.

Naturalized Kyushu (Nagasaki). s. Europe and the Mediterranean region.