This mostly occurs in the Ohio Rv. watershed, centered on Ky., but here are also disjunct plants in the Ozark-Ouachita region (FNA 24; K). See notes under the largely midwestern species, obovata. The broad leaves of ths genus are generally distinct due to their eccentric midveins; few other grasses in reastern North America have this character(see also Cinna). Both species are most abundant in mesic to subxeric woods on calcareous soils, especially areas with intensive browsing by deer. However, they are also locally abundant on more acid substrates where the base-status of soils has probably been increased due to animal or human effects. For example, americana is abundant (with Fraxinus americana, Lespedeza frutescens and other indicators) on Indian Hill in EDMO, where Native American people appear to have accumulated calcium from mussel shells for several millenia.