A very variable annual or biennial herb, usually forming a dense basal rosette, andlater a tall, branched, flowering stem; leaves variously arranged, depending oncultivar; rosette leaves undivided to runcinate-pinnatifid, sometimes curly and fringed,shortly petiolate, green or sometimes with red anthocyanin pigment; inflorescence adense corymbose, flat topped panicle; head with 7-15 florets. (Philippines)