This diploid (2n = 14) occurs in Europe and, mostly as var. americana Porter, in northern North America. It is known from Ohio, W.Va. and Va., within 50 miles of Ky., and it extends south along the higher Appalachians at least to N.C. (W). Habitats here are generally cooler and more shady than those of virginiana, which is an octoploid probably derived from vesca and the northeast Asian F. iiinumae Makino (Davis et al. 2020). However, reports of vesca from Ky. have been erroneous or dubious (M); and some errors have persisted in SERNEC (2022), including the reported coll. by G. Buddell from CAMP (KNK, NCU).. W (2022) has recently treated native plants as F. americana (Porter) Brit.; he has mapped vesca in Ky. and americana in most states around Ky. More careful review of colls. is needed. F. vesca (sensu lato) differs from virginiana as follows (FNA 9, W): achenes superficial on the mature receptacle (versus set in pits), 1-1.5 mm long (versus 1.2-1.8 mm); calyx lobes spreading to reflexed from the developing fruit after petal drop (versus appressed)); petals 3-7 mm long (versus 5-12 mm); inflorescence racemose or paniculate (versus corymbose), generally bisexual (versus bisexual or mostly female); leaflets relatively thin, bright green and never glaucous (versus often bluish-green above and glaucous below), sessile or subsessile (versus petiolulate) principal lateral veins diverging from the midrib of the leaflet at an angle of about 45 degrees (versus 30 degrees); terminal tooth of leaflets at least half as wide as the adjacent teeth (versus less than half), as long as or surpassing them in length (versus surpassed). Both species can be cultivated in small plots, with virginiana producing up to a pound per square yard in personal experience. Gibbons (1970) has extolled their virtues: "Some of the most precious moments of my life have been spent picking wild strawberries,"