Chelone is never a common species especially in our area. The leaves are eaten by many caterpillars so are often ragged.

Cuthbert's Turtlehead (Chelone cuthbertii) is found only in bogs and wet meadows of in the mountains of Virginia and North Carolina. It has purple flowers with yellow beards.

White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) has white flowers sometimes with some pink or green. It is found from Newfoundland to as far south as Georgia and Alabama.

Red Turtlehead (Chelone obliqua) is found from Minnesota to Florida generally in lowlands, it has pink to nearly red flowers with a white or yellow beard.

Pink Turtlehead (Chelone lyonii) is a southern species found in mountainous areas of Tennessee, North Carolina and just into South Carolina.

Medical Uses: Chelone glabra, often referred to as "Balmony" is the species commonly mentioned as medically active. The other taxon are likely so uncommon as to not have been considered. The Cherokee used the plant to improve appetite, for fevers and worms and to treat sores. A tea from the flowers was used as a gentle laxative. Northern tribes used the plant similarly as have herbalist. In addition there are references to its use for jaundice and to prevent pregnancy. ^{(Hamel/Chiltoskey) (Foster & Duke) (Erichsen-Brown) (Grieve)}

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One of the best general guides to wildflowers of the North Eastern and North Central United States. Newcomb's key is an excellent, simple method for identifying plants. Newcomb has drawings for almost every plant mentioned that are excellent aids to identifying the species. Though only the more common plants are covered this is often the first book I pick up when trying to identify a wildflower.

Wildflo wers of Tennessee the Ohio Valley and the Southern Appalachians

This is perhaps the best of many field guides covering this region. Featuring 446 excellent color photographs (located with the text) and mentioning as similar to those illustrated are another 800 or so species for a total coverage of over 1,200 species. The start of each family section includes line drawings of some of the species showing important features. The text includes the usual description, bloom season, range, habitat and additionally includes information such as medical uses and lore and how the species was named. This is the official field guide of the Tennessee Native Plant Society.