This species is mostly known from woodlands on rather dry acid soils in southern Appalachian and east-coastal region (Sn, F). However, revision by Ballard et al. (2023) has added a largely disjunct variant with a lower midwestern range from Mo. and Ind. to Tex., La. and Miss. V. emarginata was initially described as V. sagittata var. emarginata Nutt., and it may intergrade locally with sagittata or fimbriatula. But emarginata has often been confused or combined with those two species, especially in the midwest (St); it appears to be the plant illustrated in J under sagittata. Morphology suggests that emarginata may have originated from hybrids of sagittata and affinis (Russell & Risser 1960). Based on diverse sources, emarginata differs from sagittata in its leaf blades, which are nearly triangular (versus narrowly lanceolate to lance-oblong), with L/W ca. 1.2-2 (versus 2.2-2.8), and with long petioles in later leaves, which overtop the flowers and are often prominently winged (versus not so). Leaves are relatively dark green and consistently glabrous (which also helps distinguish it from fimbriatula). Variation within the emarginata complex remains poorly understood. Plants in Ky. may be referable to the largely Appalachian or mid-Atlantic form known to F as var. acutiloba Brainerd, with later leaves sometimes sharply lacerate at base, the lobes 1-2.5 cm long. More recently, Ballard et al. (2023) has suggested a "Kentucky variant" centered in the Ohio Valley: petals broadly rounded; spurred petal not medially compressed; at least some petioles narrowly winged; largest leaf blades concavely tapering to narrowly acuminate or narrowly rounded apex. V. emarginata is restricted within Ky. to Appalachian regions, growing usually in dry open oak and pine woods with ericaceous shrubs on sandy ridges with acid infertile soils. There are relatively few colls. in herbaria (see also GH, NCU, NY, US), but field work indicates that this species is a consistent member of the diverse flora of such woodlands (e.g. B, "usually growing with some members of the Ericaceae"; and Campbell et al. 1991).