Biennials; usually eglandular, rarely glandular; finely pubescent, sometimes canescent, trichomes dendritic. Stems erect, unbranched basally, often many-branched distally, (1.5-)2.5-12 dm. Basal leaves: petiole 1-3.5(-5.5) cm; blade pinnatifid, broadly lanceolate to oblanceolate or obovate in outline, 1.5-10(-13) cm, lateral lobes linear to oblong or narrowly lanceolate, [3-10(-15) × 1-3(-5) mm], margins entire. Cauline leaves sessile or shortly petiolate; blade smaller distally, distal lobes often narrower. Racemes considerably elongated in fruit. Fruiting pedicels erect to erect-ascending, straight, 2-8(-11) mm. Flowers: sepals erect, yellowish, oblong, 1-1.8 mm, sparsely pubescent; petals oblanceolate, 1.2-2 × 0.3-0.6 mm; median filaments 1.4-2 mm; anthers 0.3-0.4 mm. Fruits erect, (often strictly appressed to rachis), linear, slightly torulose, (4-)5-10(-15) × 0.7-1.2(-1.5) mm, (acute at both ends); valves each with distinct midvein; septum often with distinct midvein; ovules 14-22 per ovary; style 0.1-0.4 mm, glabrous. Seeds uniseriate, reddish brown, ellipsoid to narrowly oblong, 0.8-1.2 × 0.4-0.5 mm. 2n = 14, 28. Flowering May-Sep. Alpine and subalpine areas, gravel and sand bars, scree, grassy slopes, prairies, steep rocky slopes, roadsides, disturbed sites, waste grounds, meadows, spruce-fir, pine, aspen, or sagebrush communities; 100-3500 m; Alta., B.C., Man., N.W.T., Nunavut, Ont., Que., Sask., Yukon; Alaska, Calif., Colo., Idaho, Maine, Minn., Mont., Nev., N.Mex., N.Dak., S.Dak., Utah, Wyo. Descurainia incana is a distinctive species readily separated from the other North American taxa of the genus by having fruits and fruiting bases strictly appressed to rachises, and septums with a distinct midvein. Collections identified as such, but with fruits and pedicels not or only weakly appressed to the rachis, most likely represent hybrids between this species and others.

Plant: Biennial, canescent to greenish; stem 3-12 dm, slender, branched, with glandular hairs or not Leaves: 1.5-10 cm, widely lanceolate or oblanceolate to ovate; basal and lower cauline leaves 1-2-pinnately lobed or -compound, upper simple to 1-pinnate, entire INFLORESCENCE: raceme, elongating; bracts generally 0 Flowers: bisexual; sepal 4, free; petals ± 2 mm, yellow, free; stamens generally (2,4)6, generally 4 long, 2 short; ovary 1, superior, chambers generally 2, septum membranous, connecting 2 parietal placentas, style 1, stigma simple or 2-lobed Fruit: capsule, 5-25 mm, 0.5-1.5 mm wide, linear, generally straight; both ends acute; pedicel erect to ascending, 2-4(7) mm; style < 1 mm, stigma generally head-like, entire; Seeds 4-8, 1 row per chamber, generally < 1 mm, elliptic, plump, gelatinous when wet; wing 0; embryonic root at back of 1 cotyledon Misc: Open sites, meadows, sagebrush, open aspen groves; 1500-3400 m.; May-Aug