Herbs perennial, (6-)10-20(-35) cm tall. Caudex apically branched or simple in younger plants, often with petiolar remains or previous years. Stems erect or rarely decumbent when many branched from base, angled, glabrous throughout. Basal and lowermost cauline leaves petiolate; petiole (2-)3-7(-10) cm, ciliate at least basally, grooved adaxially; leaf blade (2-)3-5(-9) cm, pinnatisect, with (3-)5-8(-10) lobes on each side of midvein, somewhat fleshy; lateral lobes oblong or ovate, (2-)5-10(-15) × (1-)3-6(-10) mm, entire or obtusely lobed; terminal lobe about as large as lateral ones. Cauline leaves pinnatisect, with (4-)6-10(-12) lateral lobes, petiolate, reduced in size and sessile upward, conspicuously auriculate; auricles ovate or oblong, to 12 × 5 mm, ciliate, base rounded, entire or rarely tooth-ed; lateral lobes linear, narrowly oblanceolate, oblong, or rarely ovate, to 15 × 5 mm, glabrous, entire or usually lobed or obtusely toothed on proximal margin; terminal lobe mostly 3-lobed. Racemes ebracteate, slightly elongated in fruit. Sepals yellowish, usually tinged purple at middle, oblong, 3-4 × 1-1.5 mm, erect, margin scarious, lateral pair slightly saccate. Petals yellow, oblanceolate, rounded, 5-7 × 2-2.5 mm, attenuate to base. Filaments yellow, 3-4 mm; anthers oblong, ca. 1 mm. Fruiting pedicels erect-ascending, 3-6(-10) mm, angled to subterete, glabrous. Fruit linear, (1-)1.5-2.5 cm × (1.5-)2-2.5 mm, compressed, somewhat torulose, somewhat appressed to rachis; gynophore 0.2-0.5 mm; valves apex obtuse or retuse; style stout or slender, 0.5-2 mm. Seeds yellowish brown, broadly ovate or suborbicular, 1.5-2 × ca. 1 mm, uniseriate or subbiseriate, somewhat compressed, often winged all around, wing to 0.2 mm wide. Fl. Jun-Jul, fr. Aug-Sep.

The illustration and description of Barbarea taiwaniana in FRPS represent plants of B. orthoceras.

* Above timberline in rock crevices, under Abies, sunny rocky areas; 3200-4000 m. Taiwan.