Herbs perennial, 20-45(-60) cm tall. Caudex simple or branched. Stems erect, simple, sparsely pubescent with a mixture of simple and sessile stellate trichomes, apically tomentose with appressed stellate ones. Basal leaves rosulate; petiole 0.6-3 cm; leaf blade narrowly oblanceolate to spatulate, (0.7-)1-3(-4) cm × 2-4 mm, abaxially pubescent with stalked, 3- or 4-rayed stellate trichomes, adaxially with a mixture of primarily simple trichomes and fewer stellate ones, base attenuate, margin dentate or entire, apex subacute. Cauline leaves 3-6(-9), sessile; leaf blade oblong, lanceolate, or ovate, 0.8-3(-4) cm × 3-7(-9) mm, pubescent as basal leaves, base cuneate, rarely obscurely auriculate, margin dentate or subentire, apex obtuse or acute. Racemes 10-25-flowered, ebracteate, elongated considerably in fruit. Fruiting pedicels 6-13(-17) cm, ascending, straight, pubescent all around with appressed stellate trichomes, rarely sparser adaxially. Sepals ovate, 1-2 × 0.8-1.5 mm, ascending, abaxially sparsely pilose with primarily simple trichomes, base of lateral pair not saccate, margin membranous. Petals yellow, obovate, 3-4.5 × 1.5-2 mm, apex emarginate; claw to 1 mm. Filaments 1-2 mm; anthers ovate, 0.4-0.5 mm. Ovules 16-20 per ovary. Fruit ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 7-12 × 3-4 mm, latiseptate, not twisted; valves pilose with simple and forked trichomes, with a distinct midvein extending to middle; style 0.5-1 mm. Seeds brown, ovate, 1.2-1.5 × 0.8-1 mm. Fl. and fr. Jun-Aug.

The records in FRPS (p. 146), Fl. Sichuan. (14: 64. 1999), and Fl. Yunnan. (6: 44. 1995) of Draba elata from Sichuan and Yunnan are most likely based on misidentified plants of D. surculosa and D. amplexicaulis. The present authors have seen no specimens of D. elata from these provinces.

Mountain slopes, roadsides, wet grassy areas; 3400-4900 m. Xizang [Sikkim].