| Author | Shinners | |
| Distribution | Southern Mountains only. Specimens are known from Polk County (Pearson's Falls/Pacolet Creek and slopes of Tryon Mountain) and sight records from Henderson and Transylvania counties. A specimen from Orange County (at NCU) needs vetting, as that county is far out of the expected range.
South of NC found mostly in the Coastal Plain; western NC and eastern SC to GA, TX, OK, and AR, but not in FL. | |
| Abundance | Very rare, in the very small portion of its range in the state. Most or all of the few populations are apparently quite small, as well. This is a Significantly Rare species. | |
| Habitat | Rich cove forests, slopes near streams and creeks, margins of bottomlands, clearings in mesic forests. Always in rich to moist soils. | |
| Phenology | Flowering and fruiting late August-September. | |
| Identification | Walter's Wingstem is a very robust and tall species, 6 feet and taller; leaves are alternate, narrowly elliptic, tapering to both ends. It has heads that lack rays; the disks are gray or whitish. The heads occur on spreading branches. Though the plant lacks ray flowers, the scattered heads are large enough and white enough that these rounded "balls" at the top of the plant are somewhat reminiscent of those "flower balls" of Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis). Sadly, very few botanists, much less the general public, have seen it in the state. | |
| Taxonomic Comments | None
| |
| Other Common Name(s) | Walter's Wingstem | |
| State Rank | S1 | |
| Global Rank | G4 | |
| State Status | SR-T | |
| US Status | | |
| USACE-agcp | FAC link |
| USACE-emp | FAC link |
