Seed-bearing plants are annual elsewhere, including capeweed's native range and southern Australia, where it is an abundant pasture weed. Certain capeweed populations in Australia have developed resistance to bipyridylium herbicides. Handling plants can cause contact dermatitis on sensitive individuals. Introduced from South Africa. Cotyledons spoon-shaped, glabrous.
First leaves appear opposite, narrowly oblong with deeply lobed margins.
Lobes broadly acute to rounded. Terminal lobe larger than lateral lobes, typically rounded. Upper surfaces sparse to moderately covered with white hairs. Lower surfaces densely covered with white woolly hairs . Subsequent leaves alternate, similar to first leaves.