The Shale-barren Rockcress (Arabis Serotina) is a member of the Mustard family. It is an erect flowering biennial (flowering every two years) adapted to dry conditions and most frequently found on eroding southern facing slopes. Because it is a biennial, it has two age stages: non- reproductive and reproductive. As a young plant, it has leaves in the shape of a rosette around its base. In its reproductive stage, the leaves at the bottom of the plant shrivel and the flowering stem produces 3 to 41 branches with small flowers of white or creamy petals that are produced from June to September.

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