These plants occur in the eastern Knobs of Ky. or nearby. They are highly disjunct from typical S. harrisii of "shale barrens" in the Ridge and Valley region of Md., W.Va. and Va. (Campbell et al. 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993). S. harrisii is generally tetraploid (2n = 36), and deserves separation as a species from the diploid arguta (F, W).The Ky. plants appear somewhat distinct, with leaves less coriaceous (versus clearly coriaceous), glabrous or slightly scabrous above (versus clearly scabrous), and averaging wider at plant bases (mostly 7-13 cm versus 5-10 cm); variety status might be warranted. Ky. plants generally flower in mid-July to September; W.Va. plants generally flower in mid-June to August. It mostly occurs in dry or somewhat moist open woods, usually with shallow soil and blocky limestone outcrops above the cliffs, or on talus up to 50 m below the cliffs. Associated woody species include Ostrya (locally dominant), Acer saccharum (locally dominant), Quercus rubra, Q. muhlenbergii, Q. alba, Fraxinus spp., Juniperus, Cercis, Cornus florida, Staphylea, Ptelea, Rosa carolina, Smilax rotundifolia and Campsis. Locally frequent herbaceous associates include Solidago ulmifolia, Symphyotrichum laeve., Pofymnia canadensis, Monarda "russeliana", Thalictrum dioicum, Thaspium pinnatifidum, Sedum tematum, Heuchera macrorhiza., Aquilegia, Brachyelytrum, Muhlenbergia sobolifera, Efymus hystrix and Carex platyphylla. In contrast, generally more acidophilous associates are recorded from the shale-barrens region further east, as in CEGL 6288 of NatureServe (2023). Those species include locally frequent Pinus virginiana, Quercus montana, Vaccinium stamineum, Danthonia spicata and Carex pensylvanica.