Parasitic on several kinds of oaks, pale brown or yellowish throughout; stems stout, erect, 5-20 cm; lf-scales ovate or broadly lanceolate, to 2 cm; spike usually constituting half or more of the shoot, 1.3-2.8 cm thick, the bracts about equaling the 8-13 mm cal; cor 8-14 mm; 2n=40. Rich woods; N.S. to Fla., w. to n. Mich., Wis., Ill., and Ala. May, June.
Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.