Primarily a weed of pastures, forages, and noncrop areas, this weed may be found from New England south to northern Florida and west to Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Louisiana. Cotyledons are egg shaped and have relatively wide petioles. The first true leaves are alternate and without hairs.
Seedlings are less common than sprouts from rhizomes.
Short rhizomes can or cannot occur on individual plants, but most plants have a basal crown of woody stems that facilitate vegetative reproduction. Fibrous roots originate from these woody stems. Erect, becoming woody, and branched especially in the upper portions. A 1 mm long brown achene. Many flowers are produced in panicles at the end of stems.