Perennials; (short-lived); (glau-cous), mostly glabrous. Stems erect, unbranched or branched (few) proximally and distally, 6-15(-18) dm, (weakly striate). Basal leaves (withered by flowering); similar to cauline. Cauline leaves: petiole 3-9(-12) cm; blade broadly lanceolate or oblong to ovate, (5.5-)8-21(-26) cm × 20-80(-130) mm, (leathery, smaller distally), margins entire or, rarely, with small lobes just proximal to blade, (surfaces rarely sparsely pilose abaxially). Racemes dense. Fruiting pedicels slightly reflexed to horizontal or divaricate, (5-)7-11(-15) mm. Flowers: sepals linear, 7-11 mm, (sometimes sparsely pilose); petals whitish to lemon yellow, linear, 8-13 × 0.3-1 mm, claw (thickened), 4-7 mm, slightly wider at base; filaments 5-13 mm, papillate basally; anthers 2.5-4 mm; gynophore 7-20 mm. Fruits spreading to curved downward, slightly curved, subterete, 4-9(-10.5) cm × 1.5-2 mm; ovules 46-70 per ovary; style 0.2-1.5 mm. Seeds oblong, 1.5-2.6 × 1-1.3 mm. 2n = 28.

Flowering May-Jul. Sandy or gravelly soil in sagebrush and mixed shrub communities, desert scrub, decomposing granite; 1200-2000 m; Ariz., Calif., Nev.

Stanleya elata is distributed from Coconino County in Arizona, to Inyo and Mono counties in California, and Churchill, Clark, Esmeralda, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, and Nye counties in Nevada.