Houndstongue has small, but beautiful, dark red to reddish-purple tubular flowers. The four nutlets are covered with hooked bristles which allow the seeds to be dispersed by passing animals. Recent evidence has shown this species to be toxic to livestock due to the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids. The entire plant has a sweetish musty odor which some people say smells like dirty socks and others claim smells like hot buttered popcorn!