Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in central Washington; Washington to north-central Oregon.

Habitat: Sagebrush desert to ponderosa pine forest openings and meadows, from low to middle elevations.

Flowers: April-June

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Biennial, Perennial

Conservation Status: Review Group 1 in Washington (WANHP)

Pollination: Bees, flies, butterflies

Short-lived perennial from a usually branched crown, the 1-several stems simple or branched above, 3-10 dm. tall, densely hairy below with stalked, branched to stellate hairs, usually glabrous above.

Basal leaves numerous, 2-9 cm. long and 2-8 mm. broad, oblanceolate, the blade few-toothed to entire, densely hairy at least below with cross-shaped or stellate hairs, narrowed to a slender petiole; cauline leaves numerous, linear lanceolate to oblanceolate, 2-8 cm. long and 2-6 mm. broad, mostly auriculate and entire.

Inflorescence a many-flowered raceme; pedicles 5-14 mm. long, glabrous to stellate; sepals 4, 3-6 mm. long, the outer 2 slightly gibbous-based; petals 4, white to deep red-violet, 6-14 mm. long; stamens 6; style none.

Siliques 4-12 mm. long and 1.5-2 mm. broad, glabrous, 1-nerved nearly full length, curved, spreading to ascending; seeds in 1 series, 1.5-2 mm. long, with a wing up to 0.5 mm. broad.

Often confused with B. sparsiflora, which has stem base hairs 0.4-1.5 mm long and basal leaf hairs 0.4-0.8 mm long (vs. stem base and basal leaf hairs 0.1-0.2 mm long in B. atrorubens). B. atrorubens appears to be relatively rare; most reports are misidentifications of B. sparsiflora.