The following key should serve as a guide:

1. Leaf blades of sterile rosettes most often cordate, at least some with the V-shaped incision, margin most often coarsely, usually remotely serrate or sinuate-dentate; middle cauline leaves tripartite to trisect, sometimes ternate, with middle segment narrowly lanceolate to narowly ovate, lateral segments usually linear-lanceolate to lanceolate. Rocky habitats, stony slopes in various types of deciduous woodlands, subalpine and alpine rocky slopes ............................................ V. tripteris L. subsp. austriaca E. Walther

- Leaf blades of sterile rosettes never cordate (no blades with the V-shaped incision), ± ovate, rounded, truncate or sometimes with a broad shallow incision, margin ± entire or shallowly obtusely sinuate-dentate; middle cauline leaves ternate or imparipinnate with two pairs of unequal leaflets, with middle leaflet ovate, broadly ovate or round, lateral leaflets usually broadly ovate, rarely of a narrower shape. Wet montane woodlands, frequently Alnion incanae .................................................................... V. dacica Porcius