Following J.B. Phipps (FNA 9), this is the only species in series Dilatatae, with only triploids reported. FNA 9 combined the largely midwestern C. coccinioides sensu stricto with the northeastern C. dilatata Sarg., but Lance (2014) treated the latter as a variety. C. coccinioides has been reported from Ky. (FNA 9), but details need to be accumulated. There is a coll. with this name that needs further study, from BOYD (GH): T.N. McCoy, 7 Sep 1936, "Reservoir Hill". There are confirmed colls. from s. Ill. (MO), Ind. (FNA 9), Ohio (FNA 9) and perhaps w. Tenn. (TENN). The series appears closest to series Molles, and differs as follows (FNA 9, W): fruits bright pink to crimson (versus orange-red, bright or deep red), often pruinose (versus not so), glabrous or pubescent at summit (versus pubescent at summit and base); flesh somewhat hard (versus mealy); fruiting sepals spreading or somewhat reflexed, non-accrescent (versus erect or erect-patent to broadly spreading, rarely incurved, often somewhat accrescent); larger bracteoles oblong to curved, abaxially glabrous (versus narrowly oblong, abaxially villous); inflorescence branches slightly pubescent to glabrate (versus densely pubescent to tomentose). Both series can generally be distinguished from related series (section Coccineae) in Ky. by their bracteoles, which are relatively large, usually somewhat herbaceous and persistent (versus often membranaceous and caducous); fruits and flowers are relatively large (18-30 mm wide versus 8-25 mm), leaves are relatively large (mostly 8-12 cm long versus 3-7 cm); and plants are tend to be more pubescent (with exceptions).