This occurs mostly in north Atlantic states from Va. to Me on acid soils of seasonal wetlands with meadows or open woods (FNA 23, K, W). There are also a few disjunct interior records from N.Car., Ala. and Tenn. The ecology of this species is somewhat mysterious, FNA 23 stated: "Carex vestita is long persistent in shaded conditions and is stimulated to flower and fruit by fire or other disturbance." V. Voelcker (pers. comm.) has recently discovered an overlooked coll. listed in SERNEC that is labelled by "Mohr, C., 1854" from "Louisville, Ky." (LSU 26852). The original identification as vestita appears to be correct, and it is confirmed by L. Urbatsch at LSU (pers. comm.). It is possible that the locality was erroneous due to mixed up material. Charles Mohr (1824-1901) worked mostly in Ala. but he made a few colls. in the Louisville area during 1853-55, which SERNEC has listed mostly from US, LSU and MICH. These other colls. include almost no unusual species or additional wetland species that would siggest association with Carex vestita. (His coll. labelled "Salix discolor" (MICH) may be S. caroliniana.)