Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in the Olympic Mountains in Washington; Washington to California, east to Idaho and Wyoming.

Habitat: Rocky slopes and talus, subalpine to alpine.

Flowers: June-August

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Review Group 1 in Washington (WANHP)

Pollination: Bees, flies, butterflies

Long-lived perennials, from a typically woody crown; stems simple from each caudex branch, 3-15 cm tall, pubescence dense near base with simple and short-stalked trichomes, 2-4-rayed, to 0.2 mm, becoming glabrous or sparsely pubescent distally.

Basal leaves narrowly oblanceolate, usually 1-3 mm broad, margins entire, ciliate near base with 0.4 mm trichomes, densely pubescent above and beneath with 2-6-rayed trichomes on short-stalks and up to 0.2 mm; cauline leaves 2-6, not commonly hiding the stem, lobe-like appendages at base usually absent or up to 1.5 mm, surfaces becoming glabrous towards ends of stems.

Inflorescence usually 3-8-flowered, unbranched racemes; fruiting pedicels erect, not curved, 3-9 mm, glabrous or barely pubescent, not secund; flowers erect; sepals 4, glabrous or sparsely pubescent; petals 4, purplish to light purple, 4-6 mm long and 1-2 mm broad, glabrous; pollen ellipsoid.

Siliques 2.5-5.5 cm long and 1.3-1.7 mm broad, erect, appressed to rachis, not curved, with parallel edges; valves glabrous; seeds in 1 series or uncommonly in nearly 2 series, 1.5-2 mm long and 1-1.4 mm broad, with a continuous wing 0.3-1 mm broad.