[3] It is native to Europe, but it can be found on other continents, including Australia and North America, as an introduced species.

This is an erect annual herb producing a stiff, slender stem coated in hairs and sticky glands.

The flower is tubular, the calyx of sepals extending along most of the length of the corolla, which may exceed 2 centimeters long.

The lobed, lipped corolla is yellow in color and glandular and sticky in texture.

[4] It is parasitic on plants in the Poaceae and Fabaceae, and inhibits the health of host species.