This has an unusual, somewhat fragmented range across southeastern states, extending north into the central Appalachians but absent from the Ozark and mid-Atlantic regions. It usually occurs on dry base-rich soils (especially dolomitic) in thin woods, glades and clifftops. Some records mapped here are based on colls. that are unaccessed or missing: EDMO (MM for WKY, from a sandy cemetery near Mammoth Cave); GRAY and PULA (records at KSNPC); and HARD (formerly at KY, from Eastview Barrens). Such records need to be rechecked for possible confusion or hybridization with rostrata. [There is also an obscure coll. from Ky. by C.W. Short in the Ravenel Herbarium at USCH.] However, walteri is usually quite distinct in its prostrate stoloniferous habit and round to reniform leaves with paler green to whitish color between the darker veins (F). Distinction from V. appalachiensis L.K. Henry needs further research. That taxon has been considered a distinct species (Ballard & Wujek 1994), but it has treated by other authors as a variety of walteri (McKinney 1992; W). V. appalachiensis differs as follows: foliage glabrous except for scattered hairs on upper leaf blade surfaces (versus densely puberulent); upper surface of leaf blades uniformly green (versus silvery- to gray-green with darker green veins); stipules weakly lacerate (versus deeply). It occurs in central Appalachian regions from Pa. to N.Car. and has been reported from s. W.Va., close to Ky. (HFG). It may be expected in Ky., especially along trails through subxeric woods on medium-acid soils. Whether combined or separated, these taxa appear to be rare in all or most states (NS). Together, they both differ from related species (rostrata, conspersa, striata etc.) in their habit (Ballard et al. 2023): plants mat-forming, the stems persistent after flowering, eventually prostrate and rooting at nodes.(versus aerial and not rooting).