Much like no. 3 [Lespedeza repens (L.) Barton], but the stem, petioles, lower lf-surfaces, and fr sparsely to densely villous with spreading hairs; racemes with mostly 8-12 fls; 2n=20. Dry upland woods; N.H. to Wis., s. to Ga., w. Fla., and Tex. Aug., Sept.
Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.
Infrequent in the southern part of the state on the crests and slopes of black and white oak and chestnut oak ridges. My Warren County specimen is from the slope of the high, gravelly hill along the railroad about a mile northwest of Covington. [One specimen, referable to variety elliptica, has notably narrow leaflets. It] is from a sparsely wooded slope in Jefferson County at the top of the road leading down the Saluda Hill to the Ohio River about 7 miles south of Hanover.