Biennial or perennial herb, often much branched from the base; scapes (3-) 5-10 (-15) cm long in fruit, aphyllous, rarely 1-leaved, ± hairy below with simple and forked hairs, subglabrous or glabrous above. Basal leaves rosulate, oblong-elliptic, 5-10 (-15) mm long, 1.5-3 mm broad, entire, acute, hairy. Racemes 5-15-flowered, lax in fruit. Flowers c. 2.5 mm across, light yellow; pedicels 3-8 mm long in fruit, ascending or spreading, glabrous. Sepals 1-1.5 mm long. Petals (2-) 2.5 (-3) mm long, 1 mm broad, apex subemarginate. Stamens c. 1 : 1.5 mm long. Siliculae linear or oblong-elliptic, (3-) 5-7 (-10) mm long, 1-1.5 mm broad, glabrous or sparsely hairy with minute, usually simple hairs, sometimes sparsely and somewhat ciliately hairy at the margins; style minute or obscure with short, depressed stigma; septum not veined; seeds 6-12 in each locule, c. 0.5 mm long, oblong-ovate, brown.

Fl. Per. May July.

Type: Turkestan, Serawashan, Komarov (LE).

Distribution: C. Asia, N.W. Himalaya, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

A very variable species; some forms may be confused with Draba steanocarpa Hook.f.& Thoms., but its aphyllous (rarely 1-leaved) scapes with smaller flowers and fruits are distinctive. Draba alticola Kom. is a dwarf form of this species with dull whitish flowers. It is primarily a perennating species but biennial or even annual forms are not lacking.