Treatment is provisionsal. These plants have generally been called "fruticosa" in Ky. during recent decades (J). O. fruticosa sensu lato has been treated as a widespread, variable southeastern species of open grassy areas on acid soils (2n = ?28, 42 and 56); but fruticosa sensu stricto is relatively southern, mostly on the Coastal Plain from Mass. to La. (Munz 1937, 1965, W). There has been much confusion with plants known as tetragona, partly due to complex nomenclature that remains somewhat unresolved; see also notes under glauca. The "fruticosa group" (sensu stricto) may differ from the "tetragona group" (including glauca) in their capsules, dense with mostly nonglandular hairs (versus sparse glandular hairs); also, leaves are densely pubescent (versus glabrous or sparsely pubescent). Capsules are typically clavate, widest above the middle, with stipe ca. 3-10 mm long (versus oblong, widest near the middle, with stipe ca. 1-5 mm). However, there are various intermediate conditions and mixtures of characters. Plants known as O. tetragona var. brevistipata (Pennell) Munz appear to be transitional from the fruticosa group to the tetragona group, with capsules that have a mixture of glandular and non-glandular hairs, and with shorter stipes than typical fruticosa. It may be reasonable for brevistipata to be treated as a species; if so, this name should then be applied to all of the plants mapped here (Munz 1937, 1965; W), See also notes under O. tetragona var. sharpii, a taxon that should perhaps be merged with O. brevistipata. [In addition, the name O. tetragona var. longistipata (Pennell) Munz has been applied to some of these colls., especially at GH; but that taxon now appears closer to typical tetragona.]