Stems 2-7 dm from a usually tuberous-thickened base, simple to bushy with ascending branches, prominently 4-angled or even somewhat winged, bristly-setose at the nodes, otherwise glabrous; lvs erect or ascending, sessile, lanceolate or lance-linear, 2-3.5 cm נ3-7 mm, sometimes setose above; hypanthium densely long-spreading-setose near the rim, otherwise glabrous or sparsely setose, at maturity 7-10 mm, the neck to about as long as the ovoid base; sep widely flaring from the base, tapering to an awn-tip 0.5-1.5 mm; pet dull lavender, 10-20 mm, the outer surface often appressed-bristly especially toward the margins; anthers 5-8 mm; 2n=22. Local in sandy or peaty acid bogs on the coastal plain; N.J. to Ga. and Ala.
Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.
