Biennials; somewhat glaucous throughout, glabrous. Stems paniculately branched distally, (2-)4.5-17(-28) dm. Basal leaves: petiole (0.5-)1.2-10(-15) cm; blade usually oblong to lanceolate, or oblanceolate to spatulate, rarely ovate or obovate, (3.7-)5-31(-54) cm × (12-)16-78 (-140) mm, margins usually entire, rarely dentate or repand. Cauline leaves (ascending, not appressed to stem); sessile; blade linear to linear-lanceolate, (1-) 2.2-8.3(-19.5) cm × (2-)3-11(-25) mm, (base cuneate to attenuate, not auriculate), margins entire. Racemes dense, slightly or considerably elongated in fruit, (flower buds narrowly oblong). Fruiting pedicels usually horizontal to divaricate, rarely ascending or reflexed, usually straight, rarely incurved, slender or stout, (2-)3-9 (-13) mm, often strongly flattened, rarely not flattened at base. Flowers: sepals erect, linear to linear-oblong, (3-) 3.5-5.5(-7.5) × (0.5-)0.8-1(-1.5) mm; petals white or lavender to purple, spatulate to oblanceolate, (4.5-)6-9 (-13) × (0.5-)0.8-1.5(-2.3) mm, margins not crisped, claw differentiated from blade, [slender, (2-)3-4.5(-7) mm, narrowest at base]; nectar glands lateral, flat or toothlike, median glands absent; filaments subequal to slightly tetradynamous, (3-)4.5-7.5(-12.5) mm; anthers exserted, linear to narrowly oblong, (1-)1.5-2.5(-4.5) mm, not circinately coiled; gynophore 0.5-2(-5.5) mm. Fruits usually horizontal to divaricate-ascending, or ascending, rarely reflexed, usually torulose, rarely submoniliform, usually strongly incurved, sometimes straight, rarely arcuate, terete, (0.8-)1.4-6.5(-8) cm × 1-1.3(-2) mm; ovules 14-40 per ovary; style usually cylindrical, rarely subclavate, 0.5-1.3(-3.2) mm. Seeds (1-)1.2-2(-2.3) × 0.7-1(-1.3) mm.

Plant: Biennial; stem 4.5-17 dm, straight, glabrous, glaucous; branches 0 or above Leaves: basal 5-31 cm, petioled, oblong to obovate, ± entire, thickish, ± glaucous; cauline sessile, 2-8 cm, narrowed to base, ± without basal lobes, entire to ± dentate, thickish, glabrous INFLORESCENCE: racemes Flowers: bisexual; sepals 4, free; petals (0)4, free, 6-9 mm, not crinkled; stamens equal or 4 long, 2 short, paired filaments rarely ± fused; ovary 1, superior, chambers generally 2, septum membranous, connecting 2 parietal placentas, style 1, stigma simple or 2-lobed Fruit: capsules with 2 deciduous valves, spreading to ascending, cylindric to ± flat, ± narrowed between seeds; pedicel straight, rarely ± curved; style 0.5-1.5 mm, slender; Seed: 1 row per chamber, ± flat; wing generally 0; embryonic roots ± near edge on back of 1 cotyledon Misc: Generally sandy, silty, or alkaline soils; 700-2500 m.