Perennials; usually long-lived; (cespitose); apomictic; caudex woody. Stems usually 1 per caudex branch, arising from center of rosette near ground surface, 0.5-1.5(-2) dm, densely pubescent proximally, trichomes short-stalked, 4-8-rayed, 0.07-0.4 mm, usually sparsely pubescent distally, rarely glabrous. Basal leaves: blade narrowly oblanceolate, 0.7-3(-5) mm wide, margins entire, sometimes ciliate proximally, trichomes to 0.4 mm, surfaces densely pubescent, trichomes short-stalked, 5-8-rayed, 0.05-0.25 mm. Cauline leaves: 3-7, not concealing stem; blade auricles 0.5-1.5 mm, surfaces of distalmost leaves usually pubescent, rarely glabrous. Racemes 9-23-flowered, unbranched. Fruiting pedicels divaricate-ascending, straight, 1.5-7 mm, usually pubescent, rarely glabrous, trichomes appressed, branched. Flowers ascending at anthesis; sepals pubescent; petals lavender to purplish, 3.5-5 × 0.8-1.2 mm, glabrous; pollen spheroid. Fruits divaricate-ascending, not appressed to rachis, not secund, straight, edges parallel, 1.7-3.5(-4.5) cm × 1-1.5 mm; valves glabrous; ovules 32-44 per ovary; style 0.05-0.2 mm. Seeds uniseriate, 1.2-1.5 × 1-1.2 mm; wing continuous, 0.1-0.15 mm wide.

Flowering Jun-Jul. Exposed ridges and talus slopes in subalpine and alpine habitats; 2700-3900 m; Calif., Nev.

Morphological evidence suggests that Boechera depauperata is an apomictic species that arose through hybridization between B. lemmonii and B. paupercula (see M. D. Windham and I. A. Al-Shehbaz 2007 for detailed comparison). It is known in California from Fresno, Mono, and Tulare counties and in Nevada from Washoe County.