Perennial, 20-45 cm tall, erect, simple, rarely branched above, ± hairy (specially below) with simple and forked hairs. Radical leaves spathulate or obovate-oblong, 20-40 mm long, 5-15 mm broad, stalked, toothed; apex obtuse or rounded, often densely hairy; cauline leaves oblong, sessile, 10-20 mm long, 3-8 mm broad, toothed below with apex somewhat elongated and entire, usually slightly auricled at base, amplexicaul, sparsely hairy. Racemes 20-30-flowered, lax, up to 12 cm long in fruit. Flowers 4-5 mm across, white rarely slightly pinkish; pedicels 8-12 mm long in fruit, suberect. Sepals 3-4 mm long. Petals 5-7 mm long, 1.5-2 mm broad. Stamens 2.5:3 mm long. Siliquae oblong-linear, 35-60 mm long, 1-1.5 mm broad, compressed, usually erect with suberect pedicels, glabrous; valves 1-veined; style 0.5 mm long with a minute depressed stigma; seeds 25-35 in each locule, c. 1 mm long, margined.

Fl. Per.: May-July.

Type: Himalaya, Badrinath, 2700-300 m., Edgeworth (K).

Distribution: N.W. Himalayas and Pakistan.

Differs from Arabis alpine L., an European and N. Asian species, primarily by its more sturdy plants, without stolons, narrow cauline leaves with obtuse minute auricles and less hairy or glabeous sepals. Also differs from Arabis bijuga Watt with which it may sometimes be confused by its smaller flowers and erect siliquae, and often minutely auricled leaf bases.