Japan Flora: Large glabrous annual or biennial; stems erect, stout, usually simple or branched toward the top, 80- 150 cm. long; leaves lanceolate or narrowly oblong in outline, 10-30 cm. long, acuminate, usually pinnately incised or parted, glaucous beneath; upper leaves usually entire, small; inflores­cence a narrow cylindrical panicle 20-40 cm. long; heads about 2 cm. across, pale yellow; involucres 12-15 mm. long, the inner bracts about 8; achenes about 5 mm. long inclusive of a very short beak, 2.5 mm. wide, Lribbed on each side; pappus white, 7-8 mm. long.   Sept-Nov. Grassy places in low­ lands.

Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu; common. Korea, Ryukyus, and Formosa.

f. indivisa (Makino) H.Hara. Leaves undivided, narrowly to broadly lanceolate. 

var. dracoglossa (Makino) Kitam. Leaves large, entire. Cultivated.