Most records of this self-compatible winter-annual are from the glades of c. Tenn. In addition there are a several somewhat disjunct records from the Pennyrhile region of Ky., and two from n. Ala. (Al-Shehbaz 1988b; SERNEC). L. torulosa is distinguished from congeners (FNA 7) by its conspcuously torulose (constricted between seeds) siliques (fruits); also, seeds are only 1.9-2.8 mm wide (versus 2.5-3.5 mm), with wings 0-0.1 mm wide (versus 0.2-0.5 mm). Its chromosome number is 2n = 30, the same as L. stylosa Gray of c. Tenn. Although locally abundant in Tenn., the species has a highly restricted range, verified in just one cluster of about 16 counties. It has, however, survived in small disturbed remnants of rocky glades, as in the city of Bowling Green, where associated with Erigeron allisonii (WARR; Johnson 1981)..The more disjunct record from HARD remains unverified; R. Cranfill, with MM and JC, may have observed this species at "Knight's Barrens" in 1981, but the coll. by RC is not available. The only known population in the Ridge & Valley, east of Cleveland in Bradley Co., Tenn., may have disappeared; the last record was in 1972 (SERNEC). There is also a dubious record from St. Louis Co. in Mo., with a coll. by G. Letterman labeled at Allenton in 1882; "perhaps the result of some sort of mixup when the specimens were mounted" (Y). A somewhat bizarre record from Russia has not been confirmed (panarcticflora.org/introduction). It is possible that large herbivores (including historical bison and modern cattle) have enhanced habitat for torulosa and its congeners, which may have been relatively fit even with seasonal cattle grazing (Baskin & Baskin 1977, 1996). Moreover, seeds could have readily dispersed in or on these animals.