Annuals or perennials [shrubs]; glandular or eglandular (glands unicellular papillae). Trichomes stalked, dendritic or forked, sometimes simple, rarely absent. Cauline leaves usually petiolate, sometimes sessile; blade base not auriculate, margins usually pinnatisect or dentate, sometimes entire. Racemes ebracteate or bracteate, often elongated in fruit. Flowers actinomorphic; sepals erect, ascending, spreading, or reflexed, lateral pair not saccate basally; petals usually yellow, sometimes white [pink or purple], claw usually present, sometimes absent, often obscure, obsolete, or distinct; filaments unappendaged, not winged; pollen 3-colpate. Fruits silicles or siliques, dehiscent, unsegmented, terete or angustiseptate; ovules 4-100[-numerous] per ovary; style usually distinct, sometimes obsolete or absent; stigma entire. Seeds usually biseriate or uniseriate (rarely 4-seriate in Tropidocarpum); cotyledons usually incumbent, rarely accumbent.

Genera 6, species ca. 60 (3 genera, 18 species in the flora): North America, Mexico, South America, Europe, Asia, n Africa, Atlantic Islands (Canary Islands).

Lower Taxa

• Descurainia Webb & Berthelot
• Hornungia Reichenbach
• Tropidocarpum Hooker