Decumbent sterile shoots absent, or when present, short, stems not obscured by overlapping leaves. Leaf blades linear-lanceolate to lanceolate or narrowly oblong, softly pubescent to subglabrous. 2n = 72. Flowering spring. Limestone rocks, woodlands, serpentine barrens; 0-300 m; Ont.; Del., D.C., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Ky., Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Mo., N.J., N.Y., Ohio, Pa., Tenn., Va., W.Va.