This is a widespread, weedy species of eastern states. In Ky. it is locally common in farmland and roadsides, especially on sandy lowlands, but generally rare to absent within the Bluegrass region. It has relatively long, branching brownish roots that can form extensive clonal patches, potentially proliferating after mid-summer mowing. The closely related midwestern species, D. illinoense Gray, is known from some adjacent states, especially Ill. (K, ML). It has been reported from Ky. by Greenwell (1935), Shacklett (1937) and others, but perhaps just based on misidentifications (M); see F and Islely (1990) for regional treatments. D. illinoense differs from canescens in its oval to orbicular loment segments (versus usually semirhombic), usually paler flowers (pale purplish to white versus purplish to green), longer pedicels (12-23 mm versus 8-14 mm), inflorescence terminal (versus terminal and axillary), less branched, and with short hooked hairs as well as long multicellular hairs (versus mostly long hairs). Its leaves tend to be smaller, with distinctly shorter petioles (2.5-4.5 cm versus 4-10 cm). Both species have distinctively large stipules with somewhat cordate bases, but those of illinoense do not reflex at maturity as does canescens. D. illinoense has a reddish taproot that does not branch to form clonal patches.