Herbs annual, 50-100(-150) cm tall. Stems erect, many branched above. Basal leaves slightly fleshy; petiole 2-6 cm; leaf blade pinnatisect, 8-25 × 1.5-4.5 cm; lateral lobes 4-7 on each side of midvein, ultimate segments oblong, lanceolate, or rarely lanceolate-linear, 1-5 cm × 1-6 mm, entire or larger ones coarsely dentate or 3-fid, apex acute. Middle cauline leaves pinnatisect, auriculate; uppermost cauline leaves oblanceolate or linear, 3-6 cm × 2-4 mm, base attenuate, not auriculate, margin entire. Fruiting pedicels slightly stout, straight or curved upward, (1-)1.7-3 cm. Sepals 5-7 × 1.2-1.5 mm; sac of lateral pair 0.5-0.8(-1) mm. Petals whitish, linear to linear-lanceolate, 1.2-1.5 cm × 1.5-2.5 mm; claw 5-7 mm. Median filaments 6-8 mm; lateral filaments 4-5 mm; anthers oblong, 1.2-1.5 mm. Fruit transversely oblong or ovoid, excluding wings 0.7-1.2 × 1.5-2 cm; wings ensiform, straight, (2-)3-5(-6.5) cm, 3-5(-6) mm wide at base, longitudinally 3-veined, margin entire, apex acuminate; spines 8-10, to 2 cm × 2 mm, basal 4 pointing downward, subparallel to pedicel, much longer than the others, remaining 4 or 6 horizontal or erect; style absent. Seeds brown, oblong, 8-10 × 3-4 mm. Fl. Jun-Aug, fr. Jul-Sep.
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An annual herb. It grows 50-100 cm high. The leaves near the base are fleshy and have leaf stalks. It has lobes along the sides. They are 10-20 cm long by 3-4 cm wide. The leaves on the stem are narrow and entire. The flowers are yellow. They are in loose groups 1-2 cm across. The pod is flattened and 3-4 cm long by 3-5 mm wide. It has one seed. There is a wing along the side and 6-8 spines.