Broadly defined, this species is widespread in mesic woods on medium acid soils of northeastern and Appalachian regions (K, W). It is rare to absent on calcareous soils, and performs poorly on such soils in cultivation (J. Michler, pers. comm.). In Ky. most colls. from west of Appalachian regions appear valid, including colls. from JESS (EKY) and WOOD (KY), although the latter was made by a student with possible label error. The record from "roadside, Mt. Washington Rd." in JEFF (DHL) remains dubious as to label data. Variation within cordifolia sensu lato is significant but consensus has been difficult to achieve (Lakela 1937, F, FNA 8, W and citations). Nesom (2021) has recently recognized five species, with two recorded from Ky.: T. wherryi Lakela and, generally in more northern regions, T. stolonifera Nesom. Nesom's three other species are recorded mostly from the higher Appalachians (the more leafy-bracted nautila and austrina) or Piedmont (the non-stoloniferous cordifolia sensu stricto). In Ky., most plants may be referable to stolonifera (Nesom 2021). See notes under wherryi for details from Ky. Tiarella, Heuchera and Mitella are closely related genera; 2n = 14 in all eastern species (as in Sullivantia and Boykinia); "Heuchera usually has leaves as wide as long and with prominent variegation, while Tiarella and Mitella usually have leaves longer than wide and lacking variegation" (W). All three genera contain some stoloniferous plants, but in eastern North America only T. solonifera and the enigmatic austrina are usually stoloniferous (Cr, FNA 8). Hybrids of Tiarella and Heuchera have been developed in cultivation. Hybridization and chloroplast transfer among species of Heuchera appears to have played a significant role in their evolution (FNA 8 and their citations)..