This largely southeastern species (the eastern "poison oak") may be known as far north as s. Mo, s. Ill., c. Tenn. and s. W.Va., especially in thin woods on dry sandy soils (Gillis 1971). In Ky. it has been reported from BRAC, HARR and MARI (EKY), but colls. have not been complete enough for verification (Clark & Bauer 2001; CW). Somewhat shrubby forms of radicans have often been confused with pubescens or with the western and northern T. rydbergii (Small) Greene, which does occur at high elevation in the Blue Ridge area. Both of these "poison oaks" have a strictly shrubby, stoloniferous habit, only 0.5-6 dm tall with no potential for aerial roots as in radicans (F, Cr, Y, W). Their leaves are described by F as "approximate on long erect petioles at summit of stems and branches, thus appearing falsely verticillate" (versus "alternately scattered"). Leaflets of pubescens usually have 3-7 blunt lobes or deep teeth (versus acutely shallow-lobed, dentate or entire in rydbergii and radicans). Fruits, lower leaf surfaces and petioles of pubescens are usually hairy (or papillate), whereas those of rydbergii are less hairy to glabrous; radicans (sensu lato) is highly variable in pubescence.