Biennials or perennials; usually short-lived; sexual; caudex usually not woody. Stems usually 1-4 per caudex branch, usually arising from center of rosette near ground surface, rarely arising laterally proximal to sterile shoots, 1.5-8(-10.2) dm, glabrous or sparsely pubescent proximally, trichomes sessile, usually 2-rayed, rarely simple, 0.3-0.7 mm, glabrous distally. Basal leaves: blade oblanceolate, 1.5-8(-14) mm wide, margins usually entire, rarely dentate, ciliate, trichomes (sessile, usually 2-rayed, rarely simple ones at petiole base), surfaces usually pubescent, sometimes glabrous, trichomes sessile, 2-rayed (malpighiaceous), 0.3-0.7 mm. Cauline leaves: 6-52, concealing stem proximally; blade auricles 0.5-3 mm, surfaces of distalmost leaves glabrous. Racemes 8-35(-80)-flowered, usually unbranched. Fruiting pedicels erect, straight, 5-18 (-25) mm, glabrous. Flowers erect at anthesis; sepals glabrous; petals white (usually aging pale lavender), (5-)7-11 × 1.5-2.7 mm, glabrous; pollen ellipsoid. Fruits erect, appressed to rachis, not secund, straight, edges parallel, 4-9(-10.2) cm × 1.5-3.5 mm; valves glabrous; ovules 110-216 per ovary; style 0.05-0.3 mm. Seeds biseriate, 1.3-2.2 × 1-1.6 mm; wing lateral and distal, 0.3-0.8 mm wide. 2n = 14. Flowering May-Aug. Rocky slopes and gravelly soil in sagebrush and mountain shrub communities, open conifer and hardwood forests, alpine meadows; 700-3900 m; Alta., B.C., N.W.T., Que., Sask., Yukon; Alaska, Ariz., Calif., Colo., Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Mass., Mich., Minn., Mont., Nev., N.H., N.Mex., N.Dak., Ohio, Oreg., R.I., Utah, Vt., Wash., Wis., Wyo. Arabis drummondii is the correct name for this species in that genus; the epithet stricta has priority in Boechera. This very distinctive species is easily recognized by having basal leaves with branched trichomes, all sessile and 2-rayed (malpighiaceous). It is also the most promiscuous, having formed apomictic hybrids with at least 15 other species of Boechera.

Plant: Biennial, perennial herb; caudex generally simple; hairs sessile, narrowly boat-shaped, centrally attached; stems 1-few, simple or branched above, 3-9 dm; hairs 0 or below, sparse Leaves: basal petioled, 2-8 cm, narrowly oblanceolate, entire to sparsely dentate, hairs rarely 0, tip generally acute; cauline sessile, clasping stem, 2-7 cm, oblong to oblong-lanceolate, glabrous, tip acute INFLORESCENCE: raceme; bracts 0 Flowers: erect to reflexed; sepals erect; petals spoon-shaped to oblong and narrowed at base or narrowly obovate, white, rarely pinkish Fruit: capsules with 2 deciduous valves, erect, 4-10 cm, generally crowded, straight, glabrous; tip generally obtuse, rarely subacute; pedicel erect, 1-2 cm, glabrous; style short or 0; Seeds: 2 rows per chamber, generally oblong; wing generally on 1 end and 1 side, narrow or 0 elsewhere Misc: Calcareous gravels, talus, open disturbed areas; 1800-3200 m.; Jun-Jul