This is an annual, biennial or short-lived perennial; it is widespread across eastern states, occurring in various habitats but usually in woods on somewhat mesic, base-rich soil. The southern var. erecta Norton, described only from Flo., has been reported from Ky. (Cr, W) but colls. are unknown. That taxon has leaves all oblanceolate (versus oblanceolate to, in upper leaves, ovate), with petioles 5-12 mm (versus more or less sessile, especially the upper leaves). However, there is generally much variation in leaf shape from lower to upper positions on stems: petiole length shifts from ca. 5-10 mm to 0-1 mm, and blades shift from oblanceolate to ovate (FNA 12). Mayfield (2013) has recently segregated E. ouachitana M.H. Mayfield as a distinct species of relatively dry woods, mostly in the Ouachita Mts. but also recorded from c. Tenn. and expected in s. Ky. (W). It differs as follows: winter-annual (versus usually biennial), generally shorter (ca. 12-32 cm versus 20-40 cm), lower leaves attentuate to a sessile base (versus elliptic with long petioles), seeds reddish-brown and more lustrous with deep pits in rows (versus darker brown with more numerous smaller pits not in clear rows); reported 2n = 26 (versus 28).