Annuals or biennials; (glaucous), glabrous throughout. Stems branched basally and/or distally, (2.1-)3-6.5(-7.5) dm. Basal leaves rosulate; petiolate; blade pinnatifid or oblanceolate, 3.5-15(-30) cm, margins runcinate-pinnatifid, dentate, or entire. Cauline leaves: blade ovate to lanceolate, 2.5-14 cm × 4-55 mm, (smaller distally), base auriculate to amplexicaul, margins runcinate-pinnatifid, dentate, or entire (usually entire distally). Racemes ebracteate, (lax). Fruiting pedicels divaricate-ascending, (straight or curved upward), 7-22(-35) mm. Flowers: calyx urceolate or campanulate; sepals purple, or ochroleucous to yellowish, 8-11 mm, keeled; petals white (with purplish veins) or purple (with white margins, recurved), 14-18 mm, blade 5-8 × 1-1.5 mm, margins crisped, claw 9-12 mm, about as wide as blade; stamens in 3 unequal pairs; filaments (distinct): abaxial pair 6-10 mm, lateral pair 4-7 mm, adaxial pair (exserted), 9-12 mm; anthers (all) fertile, 4-5 mm; gynophore 0.5-2 mm. Fruits ascending, smooth, straight, strongly flattened, 3-8 cm × 4.5-6 mm; valves each with obscure midvein; replum straight; ovules 26-54 per ovary; style 0.5-2 mm; stigma strongly 2-lobed. Seeds orbicular, 3-5 mm diam.; wing 0.6-1.1 mm wide, continuous. 2n = 28.

Duration: Annual

Nativity: Native

Lifeform: Forb/Herb

General: Annual herb, 20-75 cm tall; herbage glabrous.

Leaves: Basal leaves lyrate-pinnatifid, to 10 cm long; upper leaves entire, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, with auriculate-clasping bases.

Flowers: Purple and white in elongate terminal racemes; calyx urn-shaped, 8-10 mm long, purple to yellowish, with 4 lobes at the top; petals 4 per flower, 14-18 mm long, purple or whitish with purple veins, the tips of the petals emerging from the urn-shaped calyx and curling outward and downward, the edges crisped (ruffled).

Fruits: Capsules linear, 3-8 cm long, 3-5 mm wide; seeds orbicular, 3-5 mm long.

Ecology: Found on dry slopes, from 4,500-5,500 ft (1372-1676 m); flowers March-May.

Distribution: AZ, s NM, s TX; south to n MEX.

Notes: Variable in color, the twisted, urn-shaped flowers with outward-curling tips are very distinctive. The clasping, glaucous leaves also stand out. There are two subspecies in our region: subsp. arizonicus and subsp. carinatus. Ssp. arizonicus is distinguished by having whitish to yellowish sepals, with more entire basal leaves; it ranges from 1,500-4,500 ft (457-1372 m) mostly across central Arizona. Ssp. carinatus is distinguished by having yellow flowers, pinnatifid basal leaves, and acute oblong cauline leaves; it ranges from 4,000-6,500 ft (1219-1981) and ranges east across New Mexico into Texas.

Ethnobotany: Unknown

Etymology: Streptanthus means twisted flower, while carinatus means keeled like a boat.

Synonyms: None

Editor: SBuckley 2010, FSCoburn 2015, AHazelton 2017