Typical distortus is centered in Ozarkian regions from Okl. to Ill., including records from se. Mo. close to Ky. (K). There are also disjunct plants in the shale-barrens of W.Va., Va. and Md. (W). The species was reported by McFarland (1942) from Ky., perhaps on a coll. made for the Ky. Agr. Sch. herbarium but now housed at BEREA: M.J. Yopp Seed Company, Paducah [MCRA], May 1911, "Bent Milk Vetch." It seems likely that this was a contaminant found by the company in imported grain or grass seed from further west. However, this or other species of Astragalus may be expected as native plants in Ky., given the disjunct taxa of this genus in cedar glades, shale-barrens and similar habitats of eastern North America (Keener 1983, Baskin & Baskin 2005; K, W).