This is restricted to limestone glades in s. Ind., c. Ky., c. Tenn., n . Ala. and n. Ga. It appears closely related to V. septemloba LeConte, and has been combined as a subspecies by McKinney (1992). However, septemloba typically occurs in piney woods on sandy soil of the Coastal Plain, and there is virtually no known overlap or intergradation with egglestonii; see also Gil-ad (1997, 1998). There has also been some misidentification as the more western species, pedatifida. An apparent hybrid with palmata (or perhaps sororia) has been collected from NELS (Gunn #2058 at EKY). Comprehensive keys remain difficult to develop and use. Compared to other "heterophyllous" species (palmata complex), egglestonii and southern allies are distinguished as follows (W): foliage strictly or essentially glabrous (versus glabrate, puberulent or hirsute); calyx eciliate (versus ecliate or ciliate); lowest sepals acute or acuminate (versus various); auricles elongating in fruit or not (versus not so); cleistogamous capsule unspotted or finely to heavily spotted with red or purple (versus finely to heavily purple-spotted), on erect , suberect peduncle or prostrate to arching upward (versus initially prostrate, arching upward just before dehiscence).