This taxon may be centered in the central and lower Mississippi watershed (Epling 1942), with disjunct occurrences in Miss., Ala, Ga and Fla. (W). Presence in Ky. and Tenn. remains uncertain. Traditionally (Y), ssp.bracteata has been distinguished by its bracts, which extend past calices and occasionally even flowers (versus usually not so). Recently, B.A. Sorrie et al. (W) have indicated that its most distinctive character is the lower corolla lip, which is cleft and erose (versus entire), bearing large lateral auricles (versus undulate or weakley auriculate). There are colls. identified as ssp. bracteata by A.B. Pittman (1988, Ph.D thesis, Vanderbilt) or others from CARL, CRIT, ?EDMO, ?HART and HICK (NCU, WKY). However, more comprehensive revision is needed before verification or mapping in the state.