The first North American records of this East Asian species were from southeastern Ky. in the 1940s (Rogers 1942; F). It was not collected by B during her extensive field of the 1930s. M. dianthera has now become locally frequent in several hilly regions, especially on or near the Cumberland Plateau in Ky., Tenn. and nw. Ga. (K, SE). It mostly occurs along trails in dry woods on acid soils. The plant is well known for culinary and medicinal uses in East Asia, with chemistry somewhat similar to the related genus, Perilla.