Perennials; caudex simple, (with deep roots, thickened); densely (silvery) pubescent throughout (densely covering leaves with several appressed layers), less dense on stems, trichomes (stellate-scalelike), rays fused (webbed) in proximal 1/2 or to tips, (umbonate, nearly smooth to moderately tuberculate). Stems simple from base, erect or outer ones slightly decumbent toward base, (from below or in basal leaves, unbranched), (0.5-) 0.8-1.6(-2) dm. Basal leaves (erect, petiole long, slender); blade spatulate to broadly oblanceolate, (3-) 5-7(-12) cm, (base gradually tapering to petiole), margins entire, (apex rounded or obtuse). Cauline leaves: blade oblanceolate, similar to basal, (base cuneate), margins entire. Racemes dense. Fruiting pedicels (divaricate-ascending, straight or slightly curved), 10-15 mm. Flowers: sepals (erect), linear to linear-oblong, somewhat boat-shaped, 7-10 mm; petals (erect at anthesis), lingulate, 11-15 mm, (claw undifferentiated from blade). Fruits (purplish in age), strongly didymous, semiorbicular, highly inflated, 10-18 × 14-19 mm, (papery, basal sinus usually shallow, rarely absent, apical sinus deep, narrowly V-shaped; valves retaining seeds after dehiscence, sides flat, back rounded, margins keeled, base and apex obtuse; replum narrowly oblong to linear, as wide as or wider than fruit, base slightly narrowed, apex obtusely rounded; ovules 4 per ovary; style 3-5 mm, (slender). Seeds slightly flattened.
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