This floating aquatic occurs widely but sporadically on the coastal plain and nearby wetlands from Me. to Tex., with a curious gap in most of S.C., Ga. and Fla. (K, W). In central Ky. records for BATH (Campbell et al. 1992), JEFF (GH) and POWE (MICH) date from the 1830s, but the species is still locally frequent in more extensive western wetlands.