This highly distinctive, open-pollinating polyploid (2n = 56) is widespread in hilly or sandy regions of eastern states. H. Ballard (in prep.) noted: "The strictly "pedately" divided leaf blades of the present sp. are diagnostic, and its short vertical barrel-like rhizome, long-adnate stipules and lack of cleistogamous reproduction further separate it" [as a distinct lineage from all other congeners]. Several segregates have been described but none have been recognized in recent treatments. Included here is the uniformly blue-flowered var. lineariloba DC. (versus purplish-black upper petals in typical plants), with records from BREC, MEAD and elsewhere. The more typical bicolored plants are often intermixed with uniform blue plants in populations; they appear to have distinct pollinatin ecology, and may be favored in more shady habitats (Bernhardt et al. 2016). Also, based on observations in Ky., plants on calcareous soils may have more frequent uniform blue flower color. V. pedata is a very showy wildflower but has a reputation for being hard to cultivate except in acid soil with iron chelates, as recommended for most Ericaceae (Klaber 1976). In Ky. pedata is generally absent from uniformly rich calcareous soils, including all of the Bluegrass region. However, it often occurs at fringes of calcareous glades in other regions, where the soil may be regularly leached and mixed with chert, clay or sand. It can occur in deeper soil away from rocky glades, but it then becomes more dependant on disturbances, including fire. The species can increase greatly after fire, but perhaps for only 1-2 years (Gehring et al. 2020; R. Seymour, pers. comm.).