Herbs annual, (1-)5-40(-60) cm tall. Stems erect, simple or few branched at base, pubescent with short-stalked or subsessile, stellate trichomes, rarely glabrescent distally. Basal leaves not rosulate, petiolate, often withered by fruiting, pubescent as stems; petiole (0.1-)0.8-2(-3.5) cm; leaf blade oblanceolate, spatulate, or lanceolate, (0.4-)1-8(-12) × (0.1-)0.5-2(-3) cm, margin coarsely dentate, rarely pinnatifid, pinnatisect, or entire, apex acute. Middle cauline leaves oblong, ovate, or lanceolate, sessile, (0.3-)1-5(-7.5) cm × (1-)4-12(-30) mm, base auriculate or rarely sagittate, margin coarsely dentate or rarely entire, apex acute. Fruiting pedicels divaricate, ascending, or strongly reflexed, (1-)2-7(-12) mm, slender or stout, stellate pubescent or rarely glabrescent. Sepals oblong, 1.4-2(-2.5) × 0.3-0.8 mm, pubescent. Petals yellow, turning whitish when dry, spatulate or oblanceolate, (1.6-)2-2.5(-3) × 0.3-0.8 mm, attenuate to base; claw absent. Filaments 1.3-1.8 mm; anthers oblong, 0.2-0.3 mm. Fruit linear, terete, curved or straight 1.5-3.2(-4) cm × 0.8-1.2 mm, only slightly torulose; valves pubescent with submalpighiaceous and/or subsessile 3-rayed trichomes, usually with a distinct midvein; septum complete; style 0.1-0.4(-0.8) mm. Seeds brown, (15-)22-40(-60) per fruit, oblong, uniseriate, 0.5-0.9 × 0.3-0.5 mm. Fl. Mar-May, fr. Apr-Jun. 2n = 16, 32.