This perennial native wildflower is a member of the buttercup family. It grows in woods in northeast United States south to Georgia in the mountains. It is documented in almost all Pennsylvania counties. The flowers are quite beautiful. They are white and occur in tight rounded or oblong clusters on an erect stem one to two and a half feet tall. Each flower is ¼ inch across and has four to ten very narrow petals. As the flower blooms the petals tend to fall off but the stamens still produce a spectacular showy flower. There is only one pistil but many stamens.

The leaves of the plant are divided and subdivided into sharply toothed leaflets. The fruit is also distinctive. It takes the form of a cluster of white berries, each with a thick red stalk and a black dot on the top of each berry. These berries are often called 'doll's eyes', because they resemble the eyes used to make dolls. Each berry is white with a black dot and is held on the stalk in the same position as the original flower.

The flower blooms in May or June and the berries mature during the summer. All parts of the plant are poisonous. The berries, in particular, contain a toxin that is very dangerous and can cause cardiac arrest if ingested. The berries are harmless to birds.