Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Montana.
Habitat: Dry, open, often grassy places.
Flowers: March-June
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Annual
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Pollination: Bees, flies, butterflies
Slender annual, the stem usually branched from near the base, 0.4-3.5 dm. tall, pubescent with stiff, simple and forked to 4-rayed hairs.
Leaves alternate, several, all cauline, oblanceolate to obovate, 6-30 mm. long and 2-10 mm. wide, entire to remotely toothed, pubescent with stalked, cross-shaped hairs, short-petiolate below to sessile, but not clasping, above, the upper 2 reduced to bracts.
Inflorescence an elongate, many-flowered, one-sided, open raceme, in fruit many times longer than the stem, with short, stiff hairs throughout or glabrous above; pedicels 1-4 mm. long, recurved; sepals 4, 1 mm. long, purplish; petals 4, white, spatulate, 1-2 mm. long, sometimes lacking; stamens 6; style 0.2-0.3 mm. long.
Silicles sub-orbicular, 2.5 mm. broad, with hairs hooked at the tip along the margins and valves.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Athysanus pusillus in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database
WA Flora Checklist: Athysanus pusillus checklist entry
OregonFlora: Athysanus pusillus information
E-Flora BC: Athysanus pusillus atlas page
CalPhotos: Athysanus pusillus photos