This largely northeastern species tends to occur in deeper woods than ciliata and it is absent from xeric sites, but like ciliata it is often concentrated along trails; both species may be avoided by deer. B. hirsuta differs in its pale purplish to whitish flowers (versus bluish-purple), relatively short deltoid (versus linear) calyx lobes on lower lip, but long-acuminate (versus acute) outer bracteoles (Simmers & Kral 1992; Cr, W), Vegetative differences need better documentation. Leaves on flowering stems tend to be more acuminate, more rounded to cordate at base, and have longer petioles (ca. 1-2 cm versus 0-1 cm); they are often eaten by invertebrates, in contrast to ciliata. Stems usually have longer hairs (ca. 2-3 mm versus 1-2 mm, perhaps always in Ky.), but this is not a reliable character rangewide; rare plants have glabrous stems (as in a coll. From Sevier Co., Tenn., at GH). Plants apparently lack spreading rhizomes, unlike ciliata (also A. Floden, pers. comm.).