Plants 30–50 cm. Stems sparsely to moderately branched; glabrate to glandular-pubescent. Leaves: stipular spines (recurved) 1–3 mm; petiole 1–6 cm (glandular-pubescent); leaflets 3, blade lanceolate-elliptic to ovate or rhombic, 2–4 (–6) × 1.5–3 (–4) cm, margins serrulate-denticulate, apex acute or obtuse, surfaces glandular-pubescent abaxially, glandular adaxially. Racemes 1–20 cm (10–40 cm in fruit); bracts unifoliate, elliptic, 10–20 mm. Pedicels 10–25 mm, (glandular-pubescent). Flowers: sepals persistent, green, lanceolate, 2–6 × 0.8–1.3 mm, margins entire, glandular-pubescent; petals white, oblong to ovate, 5–10 × 2–3 mm; stamens purple, 5–10 (–25) mm; anthers 2.5–4 mm; gynophore 1–3 mm in fruit; ovary 4–6 mm; style 0.1 mm. Capsules (15–) 25–40 (–65) × 2.5–4 mm, glabrous. Seeds 10–20, yellowish (black), obovoid, 2.4–2.8 × 1.9–2.1 mm, transversely rugose. 2n = 18.
Phenology: Flowering late spring–late summer.
Habitat: Disturbed roadsides, vacant lots, waste areas, gravel pits, lakeshores, streambeds
Elevation: 0-200 m
Distribution
Introduced; Ala., Tex., Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America
Discussion
Selected References
None.