This mapping is provisional; see notes under hickeyi. In other states, there has also been much confusion between obscurum and hickeyi versus D. dendroideum (Michx.) A. Haines, which has a largely boreal range across North America and eastern Asia, but may be expected in Ky. (FNA 2). D. dendroideum has been found at higher elevation in Tenn. (Ch); but records from the Cumberland Plateau in Tenn. are erroneous or dubious. It has also been reported from a few locations in se. Mo., s. Ind. and se. Ohio, but needing review (Y, K). It differs from obscurum and hickeyi as follows (W): leaves of main vertical axis near main lower branches spreading at 30-90° angle to stem (versus appressed at 15-30°), prickly to touch (versus soft); branchlets round in cross-section (versus slightly to strongly flattened), the 6 ranks of leaves equal (versus slightly to very unequal, the abaxial rank more appressed and mostly shorter than the lateral).