Biennials; glaucous, glabrous (except petioles). Stems (often decumbent), branched basally, sometimes also distally, (2.6-)3-8 (-9) dm. Basal leaves: petiole 1-4.5(-6) cm, ciliate; blade often oblong or lanceolate, sometimes ovate to spatulate, 3.8-15(-18) cm × 15-35 (-42) mm, margins usually entire, rarely repand. Cauline leaves (ascending); sessile; blade usually lanceolate to oblong, rarely linear to linear-lanceolate, (1.3-)1.6-4.8(-6) cm × (3-)5-9(-15) mm, (base usually amplexicaul to sagittate, rarely auriculate), margins entire. Racemes lax, elongated in fruit, (flower buds oblong-linear). Fruiting pedicels usually ascending to divaricate-ascending, rarely horizontal or divaricate, usually straight, rarely slightly incurved, stout, (3.5-) 4-8 mm, not flattened at base. Flowers: sepals erect, linear to linear-oblong, (6-)6.5-9(-10) × 1-1.5(-1.8) mm; petals usually lavender, rarely white, linear, (8-) 9.5-15(-16.5) × 0.3-0.5(-0.8) mm, margins crisped between blade and claw, claw differentiated from blade, [slender, 4-6.5(-8.5) mm, narrowest at base]; nectar glands confluent, subtending bases of stamens; filaments slightly tetradynamous, median pairs (7-)8-12.5(-14) mm, lateral pair (5.5-)7-11(-12) mm; anthers exserted, linear to narrowly oblong, 3.5-5(-6) mm, circinately coiled; gynophore stout, 0.5-3.5(-5) mm. Fruits usually divaricate-ascending to ascending, rarely divaricate, slightly torulose, straight or slightly incurved, terete or slightly 4-angled, (2.2-)2.8-5(-6.3) cm × 1-1.5(-1.8) mm; ovules 50-82 per ovary; style cylindrical, 1-2(-2.5) mm. Seeds 1-1.3(-1.5) × 0.7-0.8 mm. Flowering May-Aug. Alkaline meadows and flats; of conservation concern; 1900-2100 m; Calif. Thelypodium stenopetalum is known from Bear Valley, San Bernardino County.