Annual or biennial, 2-6 dm, the stem usually strigose below the nodes; basal lvs numerous, narrowly oblanceolate; cauline lvs 5-10 pairs, linear to lanceolate, 3-8 cm נ2-8 mm, pubescent; fls in congested, 3-9-fld cymes, often surpassed by the slender, erect bracts; cal villous-puberulent, 12-20 mm, (20-)25-nerved; pet-blade elliptic-oblanceolate, 4-5 mm, dentate, pink or rose, dotted with white; fr equaling the cal; 2n=30. Native of Europe, established as a weed from Que. and Ont. to B.C., s. to Fla. and Ark. May-July.
Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.