Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Idaho, Nevada, and Utah.

Habitat: From sagebrush plains to forest openings and meadows at moderate elevations.

Flowers: May-July

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bees, flies, butterflies

Short-lived perennials or biennials, from an unbranched crown; stems 30-80 cm tall, pubescence dense near base with simple and some short-stalked trichomes with 2 rays, 0.4-1.5 mm, becoming glabrous or sparsely pubescent towards ends of stems.

Basal leaves oblanceolate to narrowly oblanceolate, 3-12 mm broad, margins typically entire or uncommonly toothed, ciliate near base with trichomes, typically simple, to 1 mm, densely pubescent above and beneath with 2-5-rayed trichomes on short-stalks and up to 0.8 mm; cauline leaves 15-35, usually hiding stem near base, lobe-like appendages 3-10 mm, surfaces towards ends of stems glabrous with occasional ciliate margins.

Inflorescence usually 12-50-flowered, typically unbranched racemes; fruiting pedicels ascending or uncommonly spreading horizontally, curving somewhat downward or not, 3-10 mm, generally pubescent with spreading simple trichomes, uncommonly glabrous, not secund; flowers ascending; sepals 4, slightly pubescent; petals 4, pale to bright purple, or pinkish purple, uncommonly white, 7-13 mm long and 2-5 mm broad, glabrous; pollen ellipsoid.

Siliques 5-13 cm long and 1.7-2 mm broad, ascending or uncommonly nearly horizontal, not appressed to rachis, generally curved, edges parallel; valves glabrous; seeds in 1 series, 1.5-2 mm long and 1-1.5 mm broad, with a continuous wing to 0.2 mm broad.