This is widely distributed across southeastern states but largely restricted to somewhat mesic woods on acid soils. It is generally distinct from lanceolata, but several colls. in western regions seem transitional; see notes under lanceolata. Some plants of southern regions are unusually hairy: from CALL, CHRI, MCRE and TODD. Smaller plants from rocky areas can also appear distinct locally, somewhat resembling H. montana Small of the southern Blue Ridge. Further revison of this whole complex is needed; 2n = 12 and 24 in most taxa of sect. Amphiotis (Church & Taylor 2005, Glennon & Church 2015). Local patterns of segregation deserve much more attention. For example, purpurea sensu stricto is virtually unknown at Land-Between-the-Lakes (LYON, TRIG); instead, lanceolata is widespread here but perhaps at least transitional to longifolia (Ozark variant) on more xeric sites. Some colls. mapped here from Black Mountain in HARL (EKY, KY, WKY) appear transitional from purpurea to longifolia, or they may be a distinct variant of purpurea; they have been previously mapped with lanceolata in earlier versions of this atlas.