This eastern species is centered in Appalachian regions and absent west of Ky. and Tenn. Like others in the genus, it is a semi-parasite on tree roots, especially oaks (Y; Cunningham 2000). A. virginica is much browsed by deer, and is more frequent than records indicate. At Mammoth Cave National Park, for example, the high deer population rarely allows a plant to complete its flowering and seeding (R. Seymour, pers. comm.). In early literature there was confusion in name with flava. In addition to its distinctive short dense pubescence, virginica usually flowers in Jun-Jul (versus Aug-Sep in others of the genus in Ky.); 2n = 26 (versus 24 in flava).