Annuals or biennials; pilose throughout or at least basally. Stems branched basally and distally, 1.5-8.5(-12) dm, (sparsely to densely pilose basally or throughout, trichomes crisped). Basal leaves (soon withered); rosulate; petiole 0.5-2.5(-5) cm; blade oblanceolate, 1-5.8 cm × 5-22 mm, margins entire or dentate, (surfaces glabrous or pilose abaxially). Cauline leaves sessile; blade ovate to oblong, base auriculate, margins usually entire, rarely dentate, (surfaces glabrous or pilose abaxially). Racemes dense. Fruiting pedicels divaricate, straight or slightly upcurved, (3.5-)5-16 mm, (glabrous or sparsely pilose). Flowers: sepals usually erect to ascending, rarely spreading, purplish to lavender or whitish, 4-7 × 1.2-2 mm; petals pale purple to white, spatulate, 7.5-14 × 3-5 mm, (margins not crisped), claw 4-8 mm; median filament pairs 4-8 mm; anthers linear, 2.5-4 mm; gynophore (stout), 0.3-1.5 mm. Fruits divaricate-ascending to spreading, straight or curved, torulose, 4-8(-9) cm × 1.2-1.5 mm; (valves glabrous or pilose); ovules 46-94 per ovary; style often clavate, 1-3 mm; stigma strongly 2-lobed. Seeds 1.2-1.5 × 0.8-1 mm.

Flowering Apr-Jun. Shale grounds, loose gypsum, barren areas, clay banks of rocky hillsides, shrub communities; 1400-2400 m; Ariz., Colo., Utah, Wyo.