This widespread northern and western species occurs mostly as waifs in eastern states. In Ky. the only known coll. is from near a parking lot in LETC (EKY); that plant is referable to ssp. subsecundus (Link) A. & D. Löve. Spp. trachycaulus, with shorter awns (ca. 1-13 mm versus 15-40 mm), is apparently native in glades of the Blue Ridge south to N.C. (W).