This largely Ozarkian species is known nearby in Mo. and s. Ill. It is close to missurica; see notes under that name, V. baldwinii has smaller, more hemispheric (versus somewhat urceolate) heads mostly 4-6.5 mm high (versus 7-10 mm) and 4-7 mm wide (versus 5-9 mm), with 15-35 florets (versus 30-55); with phyllaries more resin-dotted, usually more pointed and recurved, but highly variable (FNA 19). These characters are similar to gigantea, and hybrid origin may be suspected. The only known Ky. colls. are from roadsides in CALL (SIU, TENN) and MCRA (MUR, TENN); some reports from CARL and FULT were based on misidentified missurica (Mohlenbrock et al. 1966; SIU). The colls. from CALL appear at least transitional to var. interior (Small) B.G. Schub., but that taxon may not be distinct; clarification of this complex is needed (FNA 19; Ladd & Thomas 2015).