This biennial (or perhaps short-lived perennial) is widely scattered across east-central states, but generally uncommon to rare in Appalachian regions and the Ohio Valley (Al-Shehbaz 1988b; NS). Under the name Sisymbrium dentatum Torr., Short (1837) noted: "occurs abundantly on sandy banks of the Ohio river, flowering very early in the spring." The nomenclatural priority of dentata Raf. over shortii Fern. has been recently clarified (Al-Shehbaz & Zarucchi 2008).