This globally rare rhizomatous plant occurs mostly on the Piedmont from Va. to Ga., with only scattered records in Appalachian regions further west. Although there have been reports from New England (F, NS), these are not confirmed (K; Angelo & Boufford 2020); see also notes under villosa. In Ky. there are two localities in thin upland woods of CLAY, especially along one US Forest Service road. It has also been recently found in an old-field of MADI (BEREA), ca. 2 miles E of Berea and 0.2 miles S of Route 21. However, seed of Thermopsis might have been introduced here with "wildflower" sowings (Poindexter & Thompson 2008; G. Dandeneau, pers. comm.); associates included Eryngium yuccifolium, which may have been sown as well. The genus Thermopsis may be generally toxic due to quinolizidine alkaloids (e.g. Keeler & Baker 1990), but there is no specific published information on toxicity of mollis or villosa.