This largely biennial species is widely scattered on acid soils across eastern states, except in most of the mid-west (K). F stated that var. hirsuta is "very local and little known", and the less hairy var. sanguinea (Bigelow) Fern. "locally abundant" in "dry open woods and clearings". The species has probably been much overlooked in Ky., where most plants appear to be largely glabrous and easily confused with canadensis. There are colls. verified from CRIT, LYON and TRIG (APSC, SIU). It has also been reported from CARL (Wilson 1976), HART (D. Boone, pers. comm.) and NELS (Greenwell 1935), but these colls. have not been seen (M). Further research is needed to document this neglected species, which differs from canadensis (Cr, FNA 19, Y; T. Witsell, pers. comm.) in its larger heads, with involucres 12-22 mm and suffused with purple when mature (versus 10-15 mm and remaining mostly green), achenes ca. 4.5-6 mm long plus a ca. 2.5-4 mm beak (versus 2.5-3.5 mm plus 2-2.5 mm), and pappus 6.5-12 mm long in fruit (versus 5-7 mm). Flowers are reddish-orange (versus yellow). Leaves may tend to be more basally disposed and more regularly lobed up the stem (versus often less lobed at mid-stem). Stem leaves are distinctive in their toothed, backward-curving lobes that are often widest away from the midrib. Stems, especially mid-stems, are often relatively hairy but can also be glabrous (versus usually glabrous); the hairs when present, especially at petiole bases, are distinctly longer on stems (ca. 2-3 mm versus <1 mm). Plants are often purplish-streaked or tinged (versus purplish-spotted), but this is not a consistent character. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish these two taxa, and intermediates may exist.