This southeastern species occurs mostly in the lower Mississippi Valley; east of the Appalachians it is concentrated near the Atlantic coast (K). It is virtually restricted to thin woods and edges along the banks of larger streams and rivers, often growing into fresh fertile alluvium. It is generally described as a dioecious, paniculate, stoloniferous perennial, but there may be variation in its vegetative form (Y). In Ky. it is the only native, potential perennial of Amaranthaceae. Iresine is rare along the northern edge of its range in the Ohio Valley, especially along the Ohio Rv., and some populations may be declining (Schwartz et al 2016b). The only record from JEFF is a coll. by C.W. Short from "Corn Island, Louisvillle" in 1840 (GH). Also, the colls. from KENT and LAWR were made before 1950.