This is a widespread eastern species of dry open woodland and brushy grassland. In Ky. it appears to form occasional hybrids with virginica, hirta, procumbens, repens and perhaps others. See note on nomenclature under violacea. Typical intermedia differs from virginica as follows (W): upper surface of leaflets glabrous or sometimes strigose only along the midrib (versus usually pubescent to glabrate); pubescence of stem appressed (versus appressed or spreading); leaflets with L/W 1.5-3 (versus 4-7).