This variable species is centered in the Ozark region and occurs mostly from Iowa and Ill. to Texas and n. Mexico; further east, it occurs locally from w. Ind. to w. Ky. and w. Tenn., to n. Miss. and w. Ala. (Ch+, D, K). At the center of its range, pitcheri occurs in a wide range of habitats, from lowland to upland on diverse substrates, and from woods (especially edges) to fields to roadsides (Y). Some treatments indicate a general concentration on calcareous substrates (FNA 3, W), but in southeastern states this trend may be supported only in Miss. and Ala., where it is known from the Cretaceous chalk (SERNEC data). In Ky. pitcheri may be known only from lowlands of the Shawnee Hills and the Coastal Plain; it has sometimes been confused with other species, especially C. reticulata Walt., even given good colls. of flowers or fruits. It may be closest to reticulata, with both species differing from crispa and the viorna group in their leaves (FNA 3, W): coriaceous (versus membraneous), the secondary and tertiary veins forming prominent (versus faint) reticulations on both surfaces. C. pitcheri differs from reticulata as follows (FNA 3, W): leaf blade coarsely (versus finely) reticulate-veined, the ultimate closed areoles often > 2 mm long in the longer dimension (versus < 2 mm), the tertiary and quaternary veins not prominently raised (versus often prominent); achene beak sparsely pubescent to silky, with ascending or appressed hairs (versus plumose, with spreading hairs). C. reticulata is widespread on uplands of the southeastern Coastal Plain, especially with sandy soils (K, W); however, it remains virtually unknown in Tenn. or perhaps confused with pitcheri (Ch+). Reports of reticulata from Ky. appear to have been based on pitcheri or versicolor (Short et al. 1833, BA, M).