Stems procumbent or trailing, freely branched, often 1-2 m, minutely pubescent; lvs linear, 3-6 נ1-3(-5) mm, tapering to a petiolar base 1-2 mm; peduncles as long as or longer than the subtending lvs, bearing at the summit 2-several linear bracts 5-25 mm and 1-5 pedicellate fls; sep broadly oval, 4-6 mm, densely hairy outside; cor 12-18 mm; style only shortly cleft; 2n=8. Dry pine-barrens on the coastal plain; s. N.J. to Ga. and Ala.; sand-prairies in w. Ill. and e. Io. and from Kans. to Tex. July-Sept. (Breweria p.) The coastal plain plants, with the style branches mostly 2-3 mm and subequal, and with mostly obtuse sep, are var. pickeringii. The western plants, with the style branches mostly 1-1.5 mm and unequal, and with mostly acute or acutish sep, are var. pattersonii (Fernald & B. G. Schub.) Myint.
Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.
