It is native to Europe and North Africa but can be found in many other places across the globe as an introduced species and often a noxious weed.

This is a dandelion-like herb growing patches of many erect, leafless stems from a basal rosette of leaves.

Atop the stems are solitary flower heads which are ligulate, containing layered rings of ray florets with no disc florets.

The florets are yellow with toothed tips.

The fruit is a cylindrical achene with a pappus of scales.