Biennials; (glaucous), mostly glabrous. Stems unbranched or branched (few) proximally and distally, 2-8(-10) dm. Basal leaves: petiole 1-6.5 cm; blade (fleshy), broadly lanceolate to oblanceolate or ovate in outline, (1.6-)3-17(-20) cm × (10-) 20-80 mm, margins lyrate-pinnatifid or runcinate. Cauline leaves petiolate; blade similar to basal, smaller distally, margins sometimes entire. Racemes somewhat dense. Fruiting pedicels horizontal to divaricate-ascending, (straight), (4-)5-11 (-15) mm. Flowers: sepals oblong-linear, (9-)11-18 mm; petals pale yellow to whitish, orbicular to broadly obovate, 12-18 × (2.5-)3-6 mm, claw 5-8 mm, wider at base, pubescent inside apically; filaments 1-2.2 mm, base pilose; anthers 3-5.5 mm; gynophore 10-22(-26) mm, hirsute at base. Fruits suberect to ascending, slightly curved inward, subterete, 2.3-6 cm × 1-2 mm; ovules 24-44 per ovary; style 0.2-0.5 mm. Seeds ovoid to oblong, 1.4-2 × 0.8-0.9 mm.

Flowering May-Jun. Barren clay slopes and flats, open clay knolls, gumbo clay bluffs, Mancos shale; 1300-2100 m; Ariz., Colo., N.Mex.