Decumbent annual herb (10–) 30–40 cm high; stems weak, scabrous to subglabrous. Leaves subsessile, distant, lanceolate, (15–) 25–50 mm long, 5–12 (–14) mm wide, attenuate basally, entire or with few irregular tiny teeth, scabrous; hairs 0.4–0.5 mm long, semiappressed, with lower cell swollen. Capitula solitary or clustered on peduncles 5–15 mm long; involucral bracts 8–10, ovate, lanceolate or elliptic, 5–6 mm long, shortly pouched at base, striate, scabrous. Ray florets 9–11; ligule obovate, c. 2 mm long, shortly 2-lobed, yellow. Disc florets 20–25; corollas yellow. Achenes 4–6 mm long, 5–6 mm wide, obovate, papillose or roughened when mature; ray achenes with 3 flat erose wings, with pappus of several connate scales to 1 mm long, 1 or 2 of these extended as short soft spines; disc achenes similar but with 2 erose wings.
Growing in heavy soils (black cracking soils, clays, alluvium) in damp areas or locations subject to intermittent flooding, streamsides and floodplains.
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