Native plants · Tennessee

Native plants of Greene County

303 plant species are recorded as native to Tennessee in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in Greene County by USDA PLANTS. 110 of them have growing records you can filter by light, moisture, height and estimated cold hardiness. 2 more species are listed as both native and introduced and kept in a separate section.

County summary · USDA PLANTS and Kew WCVP

Greene County, Tennessee

Native species: 303 Typical Tennessee county: 450 (median of 95 counties)
Garden-ready natives: 110 Typical Tennessee county: 182
Share by type (all 303 native species): Percent of the 303 native species in each growth type

Tree 12% (35)
Shrub 7% (20)
Wildflower (forb) 51% (155)
Grass or grass-like 15% (45)
Vine 5% (16)
Fern 11% (32)

Wildflowers make up the largest share of the native list (51%), followed by grasses and grass-like plants (15%).

Recorded native ranges can include long-established populations that spread from gardens; check your state’s native plant society list for local guidance. How native status is decided.

ZIP codes mainly in this county fall in USDA hardiness zones 7a to 7b (2023 map).

The native plant list

Garden-ready natives 110

Native species with PLANTS growing records (height, light, moisture, minimum temperature). “—” means PLANTS has no value.

Garden-ready native plants of Greene County, Tennessee
Plant	Type	Height	Light	Water use	Hardy to
American chestnut Castanea dentata	Tree	115 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
American witchhazel Hamamelis virginiana	Tree	20 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
arrowleaf tearthumb Polygonum sagittatum	Vine	1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 6a
bigleaf aster Eurybia macrophylla	Wildflower (forb)	4.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
black chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa	Shrub	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	—	Zone 9b
black huckleberry Gaylussacia baccata	Shrub	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
blackgum Nyssa sylvatica	Tree	95 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
blackhaw Viburnum prunifolium	Tree	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
blue cohosh Caulophyllum thalictroides	Wildflower (forb)	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
bluebead Clintonia borealis	Wildflower (forb)	1.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
blunt broom sedge Carex tribuloides	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
bog rush Juncus biflorus	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
broom sedge Carex scoparia	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
bulbous bittercress Cardamine bulbosa	Wildflower (forb)	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
calico aster Symphyotrichum lateriflorum	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
Canada germander Teucrium canadense	Wildflower (forb)	3.3 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
Canadian lousewort Pedicularis canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
Canadian milkvetch Astragalus canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	6 in	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
Canadian waterweed Elodea canadensis	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 4a
cat greenbrier Smilax glauca	Vine	1 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
chokecherry Prunus virginiana	Tree	25 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
cinnamon fern Osmunda cinnamomea	Fern	4.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
common blue wood aster Symphyotrichum cordifolium	Wildflower (forb)	5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
common cowparsnip Heracleum maximum	Wildflower (forb)	8 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common duckweed Lemna minor	Wildflower (forb)	—	Sun	High	Zone 3b
common selfheal Prunella vulgaris	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
common sneezeweed Helenium autumnale	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3a
crimsoneyed rosemallow Hibiscus moscheutos	Wildflower (forb)	6.6 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6a
deerberry Vaccinium stamineum	Shrub	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a
downy yellow violet Viola pubescens	Wildflower (forb)	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
eastern gamagrass Tripsacum dactyloides	Grass or grass-like	5 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
eastern teaberry Gaultheria procumbens	Shrub	6 in	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4a
eastern woodland sedge Carex blanda	Grass or grass-like	2 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4b
fall panicgrass Panicum dichotomiflorum	Grass or grass-like	3.3 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3a
false indigo bush Amorpha fruticosa	Shrub	15 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
field horsetail Equisetum arvense	Fern	11 in	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
flattened oatgrass Danthonia compressa	Grass or grass-like	2.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
giant goldenrod Solidago gigantea	Wildflower (forb)	8.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
golden ragwort Packera aurea	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3a
great laurel Rhododendron maximum	Tree	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 6a
greater bladder sedge Carex intumescens	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 4a
green bulrush Scirpus atrovirens	Grass or grass-like	5.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 2a
hairy white oldfield aster Symphyotrichum pilosum	Wildflower (forb)	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
hobblebush Viburnum lantanoides	Shrub	10 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana	Tree	45 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 3b
Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans	Grass or grass-like	6 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
inland rush Juncus interior	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
interrupted fern Osmunda claytoniana	Fern	4 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 3b
Jack in the pulpit Arisaema triphyllum	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3b
loblolly pine Pinus taeda	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 6b
marsh bellflower Campanula aparinoides	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
mountain false indigo Amorpha glabra	Shrub	16 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 7a
mountain laurel Kalmia latifolia	Tree	6 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a
mountain magnolia Magnolia fraseri	Tree	75 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 6a
New York fern Thelypteris noveboracensis	Fern	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 4b
New York ironweed Vernonia noveboracensis	Wildflower (forb)	6.6 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
northern maidenhair Adiantum pedatum	Fern	1.3 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
Nuttall's reedgrass Calamagrostis coarctata	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
pale touch-me-not Impatiens pallida	Wildflower (forb)	8.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 10b
pawpaw Asimina triloba	Tree	25 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
Pennsylvania bittercress Cardamine pensylvanica	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
perplexed ticktrefoil Desmodium perplexum	Wildflower (forb)	4 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
Philadelphia fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus	Wildflower (forb)	2.8 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4b
pin cherry Prunus pensylvanica	Tree	30 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
pitch pine Pinus rigida	Tree	80 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
possumhaw Viburnum nudum	Tree	15 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
prickly bog sedge Carex atlantica	Grass or grass-like	1.8 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 5b
purple lovegrass Eragrostis spectabilis	Grass or grass-like	11 in	Sun	Low	Zone 3a
purpleflowering raspberry Rubus odoratus	Shrub	5 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 3b
purpletop tridens Tridens flavus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
rattlesnake fern Botrychium virginianum	Fern	1.4 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
red elderberry Sambucus racemosa	Tree	18 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
red maple Acer rubrum	Tree	68 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 2b
rice cutgrass Leersia oryzoides	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 4a
roundleaf goldenrod Solidago patula	Wildflower (forb)	6.6 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3a
sassafras Sassafras albidum	Tree	75 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4b
shallow sedge Carex lurida	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 4a
shortleaf pine Pinus echinata	Tree	100 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 5b
silky dogwood Cornus amomum	Shrub	10 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 3b
silver maple Acer saccharinum	Tree	90 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 2b
slender spikerush Eleocharis tenuis	Grass or grass-like	2.9 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
smallspike false nettle Boehmeria cylindrica	Wildflower (forb)	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
smooth sumac Rhus glabra	Tree	12 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 4a
sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum	Tree	35 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 6a
southern red oak Quercus falcata	Tree	75 ft	Sun–part shade	Medium	Zone 6a
strawcolored flatsedge Cyperus strigosus	Grass or grass-like	3.2 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4a
striped maple Acer pensylvanicum	Tree	35 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 2b
sugar maple Acer saccharum	Tree	100 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 2b
swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata	Wildflower (forb)	4.9 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
swamp rose Rosa palustris	Shrub	8.2 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
sweet birch Betula lenta	Tree	60 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 4b
Table Mountain pine Pinus pungens	Tree	50 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5b
taperleaf water horehound Lycopus rubellus	Wildflower (forb)	1.6 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5a
Torrey's rush Juncus torreyi	Grass or grass-like	3.1 ft	Sun	Medium	Zone 3b
trumpet creeper Campsis radicans	Vine	2 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 6a
twisted sedge Carex torta	Grass or grass-like	2.8 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4a
upland bentgrass Agrostis perennans	Grass or grass-like	3.5 ft	Sun–part shade	High	Zone 4a
variable panicgrass Dichanthelium commutatum	Grass or grass-like	4.9 ft	Sun–part shade	Low	Zone 4b
Virginia pine Pinus virginiana	Tree	70 ft	Sun	Low	Zone 5a
Virginia wildrye Elymus virginicus	Grass or grass-like	2.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 4b
white edge sedge Carex debilis	Grass or grass-like	3 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 6a
whitegrass Leersia virginica	Grass or grass-like	3.9 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3a
wild sarsaparilla Aralia nudicaulis	Wildflower (forb)	1.5 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 3b
willow oak Quercus phellos	Tree	100 ft	Sun	High	Zone 5a
winged elm Ulmus alata	Tree	65 ft	Shade-tolerant	Medium	Zone 5b
yellow buckeye Aesculus flava	Tree	65 ft	Shade-tolerant	High	Zone 5b
yellow marsh marigold Caltha palustris	Wildflower (forb)	2 ft	Sun	High	Zone 3b
yellow passionflower Passiflora lutea	Vine	16 ft	Shade-tolerant	Low	Zone 5a

Other native species recorded here 193

PLANTS has no growing records for these, so light, moisture, height and zone filters cannot include them. Many are wild species seldom sold by nurseries.

Adam and Eve Aplectrum hyemale
Allegheny hawkweed Hieracium paniculatum
allegheny vine Adlumia fungosa
American burnweed Erechtites hieraciifolius
American cancer-root Conopholis americana
American hogpeanut Amphicarpaea bracteata
American marshpennywort Hydrocotyle americana
American spikenard Aralia racemosa
annual marsh elder Iva annua
Appalachian polypody Polypodium appalachianum
Appalachian shoestring fern Vittaria appalachiana
arrowleaf violet Viola sagittata
Atlantic pigeonwings Clitoria mariana
beaked cornsalad Valerianella radiata
beaked panicgrass Panicum anceps
beechdrops Epifagus virginiana
black baneberry Actaea racemosa
blackstem spleenwort Asplenium resiliens
bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
Blue Ridge blueberry Vaccinium pallidum
bluntlobe cliff fern Woodsia obtusa
bride's feathers Aruncus dioicus
bristly locust Robinia hispida
broad beechfern Phegopteris hexagonoptera
broadleaf sedge Carex platyphylla
brown widelip orchid Liparis liliifolia
brownish sedge Carex brunnescens
bulblet bladderfern Cystopteris bulbifera
Canada mayflower Maianthemum canadense
Canadian blacksnakeroot Sanicula canadensis
Canadian white violet Viola canadensis
Canadian wildginger Asarum canadense
Carolina lily Lilium michauxii
Carolina springbeauty Claytonia caroliniana
Carolina vetch Vicia caroliniana
carpenter's square Scrophularia marilandica
cedarglade St. Johnswort Hypericum frondosum
chinquapin Castanea pumila
Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides
Clayton's sweetroot Osmorhiza claytonii
combleaf yellow false foxglove Aureolaria pectinata
common woodrush Luzula multiflora
common yellow oxalis Oxalis stricta
creeping lespedeza Lespedeza repens
crinkleroot Cardamine diphylla
Curtiss' milkwort Polygala curtissii
cutleaf grapefern Botrychium dissectum
cypress panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum
dogtooth violet Erythronium americanum
downy goldenrod Solidago puberula
downy milkpea Galactia volubilis
downy rattlesnake plantain Goodyera pubescens
dwarf crested iris Iris cristata
dwarf hackberry Celtis pumila
early bluegrass Poa cuspidata
early meadow-rue Thalictrum dioicum
eastern bottlebrush grass Elymus hystrix
eastern hayscented fern Dennstaedtia punctilobula
eastern leatherwood Dirca palustris
eastern waterleaf Hydrophyllum virginianum
ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron
fan clubmoss Lycopodium digitatum
fewflower nutrush Scleria pauciflora
fibrousroot sedge Carex communis
field pansy Viola bicolor
field thistle Cirsium discolor
fire pink Silene virginica
flame azalea Rhododendron calendulaceum
flowering spurge Euphorbia corollata
fourleaf milkweed Asclepias quadrifolia
fox grape Vitis labrusca
fragrant bedstraw Galium triflorum
gaywings Polygala paucifolia
giant ironweed Vernonia gigantea
goldenclub Orontium aquaticum
green carpetweed Mollugo verticillata
hairy Solomon's seal Polygonatum pubescens
hairy woodland brome Bromus pubescens
halberdleaf yellow violet Viola hastata
harvestbells Gentiana saponaria
highland doghobble Leucothoe fontanesiana
hoary ticktrefoil Desmodium canescens
hooded arrowhead Sagittaria calycina
hyssopleaf thoroughwort Eupatorium hyssopifolium
Indian-tobacco Lobelia inflata
Indianpipe Monotropa uniflora
intermediate woodfern Dryopteris intermedia
kidneyleaf mudplantain Heteranthera reniformis
large whorled pogonia Isotria verticillata
lavender bladderwort Utricularia resupinata
leafy bulrush Scirpus polyphyllus
lesser duckweed Lemna aequinoctialis
lesser purple fringed orchid Platanthera psycodes
longleaf groundcherry Physalis longifolia
lowland bladderfern Cystopteris protrusa
Lowrie's blue wood aster Symphyotrichum lowrieanum
maidenhair spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes
marginal woodfern Dryopteris marginalis
marsh blue violet Viola cucullata
Maximilian sunflower Helianthus maximiliani
mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
meadow spikemoss Selaginella apoda
moccasin flower Cypripedium acaule
mountain holly Ilex montana
mountain spleenwort Asplenium montanum
mountain woodfern Dryopteris campyloptera
mountain woodsorrel Oxalis montana
nakedflower ticktrefoil Desmodium nudiflorum
narrowleaf mountainmint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
narrowleaf vervain Verbena simplex
netted chainfern Woodwardia areolata
Norwegian cinquefoil Potentilla norvegica
oneflowered broomrape Orobanche uniflora
oneseed bur cucumber Sicyos angulatus
openflower rosette grass Dichanthelium laxiflorum
orange coneflower Rudbeckia fulgida
painted trillium Trillium undulatum
Pennsylvania clubmoss Lycopodium hickeyi
pipevine Aristolochia macrophylla
poke milkweed Asclepias exaltata
racemed milkwort Polygala polygama
richweed Collinsonia canadensis
rosy sedge Carex rosea
rough barnyardgrass Echinochloa muricata
rough boneset Eupatorium pilosum
roundfruit hedgehyssop Gratiola virginiana
roundleaf ragwort Packera obovata
roundleaf yellow violet Viola rotundifolia
running clubmoss Lycopodium clavatum
scaldweed Cuscuta gronovii
scarlet beebalm Monarda didyma
scentless mock orange Philadelphus inodorus
sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis
sensitive partridge pea Chamaecrista nictitans
shining clubmoss Huperzia lucidula
showy orchid Galearis spectabilis
showy skullcap Scutellaria serrata
silver false spleenwort Deparia acrostichoides
silvery everlasting Gamochaeta argyrinea
skunk currant Ribes glandulosum
slender toothwort Cardamine angustata
slender waternymph Najas gracillima
slenderleaf false foxglove Agalinis tenuifolia
small woodland sunflower Helianthus microcephalus
smooth carrionflower Smilax herbacea
smooth rockcress Arabis laevigata
smooth small-leaf ticktrefoil Desmodium marilandicum
smoothsheath sedge Carex laevivaginata
southeastern wildrye Elymus glabriflorus
southern annual saltmarsh aster Symphyotrichum divaricatum
spiked crested coralroot Hexalectris spicata
spoonleaf purple everlasting Gamochaeta purpurea
spotted geranium Geranium maculatum
spotted sandmat Chamaesyce maculata
spring coralroot Corallorhiza wisteriana
squirrel corn Dicentra canadensis
St. Andrew's cross Hypericum hypericoides
star chickweed Stellaria pubera
starflower Trientalis borealis
stiff cowbane Oxypolis rigidior
striped cream violet Viola striata
summer sedge Carex aestivalis
swamp lousewort Pedicularis lanceolata
sweet white violet Viola blanda
tall thoroughwort Eupatorium altissimum
tinted woodland spurge Euphorbia commutata
trailing arbutus Epigaea repens
turk's-cap lily Lilium superbum
twinleaf Jeffersonia diphylla
twistedstalk Streptopus lanceolatus
twoleaf miterwort Mitella diphylla
Venus' pride Houstonia purpurea
Virginia groundcherry Physalis virginiana
Virginia strawberry Fragaria virginiana
Virginia tephrosia Tephrosia virginiana
walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum
white bergamot Monarda clinopodia
white colicroot Aletris farinosa
white snakeroot Ageratina altissima
white trillium Trillium grandiflorum
white turtlehead Chelone glabra
whitetinge sedge Carex albicans
whorled wood aster Oclemena acuminata
whorled yellow loosestrife Lysimachia quadrifolia
wideflower phlox Phlox latifolia
wild hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
wild yam Dioscorea villosa
woman's tobacco Antennaria plantaginifolia
wood anemone Anemone quinquefolia
woolly lipfern Cheilanthes tomentosa
yellow crownbeard Verbesina occidentalis
yellow fairybells Prosartes lanuginosa
zigzag spiderwort Tradescantia subaspera

Also listed as native and introduced here 2

PLANTS labels these species both native and introduced in this state: some forms are native and others were brought in from elsewhere. Most gardeners should choose plants from the main list.

annual ragweedAmbrosia artemisiifolia
climbing false buckwheatPolygonum scandens

Compared with Tennessee

The typical county is the median of the 95 Tennessee counties with PLANTS county records; the statewide figure counts every species native anywhere in the state. More species is not better or worse: counties differ in size, habitat and how thoroughly they have been surveyed.

Native species counts, Greene County and Tennessee
Measure	Greene County	Typical county	Statewide
Native species	303	450	1,844
Garden-ready natives	110	182	606
Tree	35	—	189
Shrub	20	—	88
Wildflower (forb)	155	—	988
Grass or grass-like	45	—	420
Vine	16	—	81
Fern	32	—	78

Neighboring counties

Counties that share a ZIP code with Greene County.

Cocke County, TN 173 garden-ready
Hawkins County, TN 190 garden-ready
Washington County, TN 123 garden-ready

Source & data date

Source: USDA NRCS PLANTS Database: county distribution records, native status and plant characteristics. CC0 (public domain dedication, per the data.gov catalog record).; Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP): native or introduced status by state. CC BY 3.0.; USGS US-RIIS (ver. 2.0): species listed as introduced are excluded. CC0.
Citation: USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (https://plants.usda.gov, 11/04/2026). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC USA.; Govaerts R. (ed.) (2026). WCVP: World Checklist of Vascular Plants. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Data file dated 2026-06-04, http://sftp.kew.org/pub/data-repositories/WCVP/ (retrieved 2026-11-04). Paper: Govaerts R. et al. (2021) The World Checklist of Vascular Plants, a continuously updated resource for exploring global plant diversity. Scientific Data 8, 215.
Data date: Retrieved from PLANTS on November 4, 2026; WCVP data file dated June 4, 2026.
Zones: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) ZIP table: PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed November 3, 2026. Plant zones on this site are our estimate, not the official map.
Scope: Greene County (county FIPS 47059), Tennessee. 303 native species from PLANTS county distribution records; garden-ready = species with a PLANTS characteristics record.
Method: A species is listed when it is recorded as native to the state in Kew’s World Checklist of Vascular Plants and USDA PLANTS, and recorded in the county by USDA PLANTS. Species PLANTS labels both native and introduced are listed separately. Full method · All sources

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