Biennials or perennials; (short-lived); glaucous, glabrous or sparsely pubescent. Stems branched often proximally and distally, (1.4-)2-6.5(-7.5) dm, (glabrous or pubescent). Basal leaves: petiole (0.8-)2-4 (-6.5) cm, ciliate; blade usually oblanceolate, rarely spatulate or oblong, (3-)6-15(-22) cm × (6-)10-25 (-40) mm, margins entire, (surfaces glabrous). Cauline leaves (ascending); sessile; blade lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, (1.7-)2.2-6(-9) cm × (3-)5-15(-30) mm, (base sagittate to somewhat amplexicaul), margins entire, (surfaces glabrous). Racemes corymbose, dense, terminal not elongated in fruit, (flower buds ovate). Fruiting pedicels usually horizontal to divaricate, rarely divaricate-ascending, often curved upward, slender, 6-11.5(-17) mm, slightly flattened at base. Flowers: sepals erect, ovate to oblong-ovate, (3-)3.5-5(-6) × (1-)1.5-2 mm; petals lavender to purple, spatulate to broadly obovate, (6.5-)8-11.5(-14) × 2.5-5(-6) mm, margins not crisped, claw strongly differentiated from blade, [slender, (2-)2.5-4(-5) mm, narrowest at base]; nectar glands confluent, subtending bases of stamens; filaments tetradynamous, median pairs (3-)3.5-5(-6) mm, lateral pair (2-)2.5-4(-5) mm; anthers included, ovate to ovate-oblong, 1-2 mm, not circinately coiled; gynophore (stout), 0.5-0.8(-1.2) mm. Fruits erect, slightly torulose, usually slightly incurved, rarely straight, terete, (1-)1.3-3.2(-5) cm × (0.8-)1.5-2.3 mm; ovules 20-30 per ovary; style cylindrical, (0.5-)1.5-1.7(-3) mm. Seeds (plump), (1.3-)1.5-2 × 0.8-1 mm. Flowering Jun-Jul. Wet sedge meadows, streamsides; of conservation concern; 1800-2800 m; Colo., Idaho, Mont., Wyo.