4. Thelypodium flexuosum B. L. Robinson in A. Gray & S. Watson, Syn. Fl. N. Amer. 1: 175. 1895. TYPE: United States, Nevada, near Carson City, 1895, C. L. Anderson 140 (holotype, GH!).

     Herbs, perennial, with a woody caudex covered with petiolar remains of previous seasons, glabrous throughout, somewhat glaucous. Stems 1.5–5.6(–8.5) dm, often subdecumbent, branched at base, flexuous, solid. Basal leaves petiole 1–6.5(–13) cm, not ciliate, persistent; blade lanceolate, sometimes oblong or oblanceolate, (2–)3.5–16.5(–20.5) x (0.5–)1–2.5(–4.5) cm, entire; cauline leaves few, 1–7(–11) × 0.2–0.7(–1.4) cm, sessile, lanceolate to linear, sagittate to somewhat amplexicaul at base, ascending, entire. Racemes corymbose, few flowered, elongated in fruit; flower buds oblong; fruiting pedicels straight or slightly curved upwards, horizontal to divaricate or rarely divaricate-ascending, slender, slightly flattened at base, (2.5–)4–9(– 16) mm. Sepals oblong, erect, 3–4(–4.5) x 1–1.5(–1.7) mm; petals lavender or white, spatulate or sometimes oblanceolate or obovate, 6–9(–10) x (1.5–)2–3(–3.5) mm, not crisped, strongly differentiated into blade and claw; claw 2–3.5(–4) mm, slender; filaments tetradynamous, median pairs 3–4(–5) mm, lateral pair 2–3.5(–4) mm; anthers oblong, 1–2(–2.5) mm, not circinately coiled, included; nectar glands lateral, median glands absent; ovules 12–30 per ovary. Fruits 1–2.5(–4.2) cm x 0.8–1(–1.5) mm, erect to ascending, terete, slightly incurved or straight, torulose; gynophore stout, 0.5(–1) mm; style cylindrical, (0.3–)1–2(–3) mm; stigma entire. Seeds (1–)1.3–1.5 x 0.5–8(–1) mm.

Flowering: Apr–Jun.

Habitat: often tangled among woody shrubs in moderately to strongly alkaline sandy loam or clay, open deserts.

Elevation: 1000–2400 m.

Distribution: United States (NE California, W Idaho, Nevada, Oregon).