This is widespread in northeastern and Atlantic states, plus adjacent Canada, but largely absent within the lower Mississipi Valley and Gulf Coastal Plain. There has been confusion with sangamonensis, cristatella and projecta; see notes under those names. As in those species, there are frequent vegetative shoots with many leaves (often distally clustered late in the year); the blades are often relatively broad and the sheaths somewhat loose to expanded at apex. In tribuloides, these shoots often become decumbent, root and spread to form extensive open stands. Such growth-form is generally rare within Ovales, but is also exhibited by projecta, longii and albolutescens (FNA 23).