Biennials [annuals, perennials]; glandular (glands unicellular on a few-celled, uniseriate stalk). Trichomes stalked, forked, and simple. Cauline leaves petiolate [sessile]; blade base not auriculate [auriculate], margins usually dentate. Racemes ebracteate or bracteate, elongated [not elongated] in fruit. Flowers actinomorphic; sepals erect, lateral pair often saccate basally; petals white, lavender, or purple [yellow, orange, green, or brown], claw present, distinct; filaments unappendaged, not winged; pollen 3-colpate. Fruits siliques, dehiscent, unsegmented, terete [4-angled, latiseptate]; ovules 4-40[-numerous] per ovary; style obsolete or distinct; stigma strongly 2-lobed. Seeds uniseriate; cotyledons incumbent.

Genus 1, species 25 (1 in the flora): introduced; Europe, Asia, n Africa.

Lower Taxon

• Hesperis Linnaeus