Leucothoe walteri (Willd.) Melvin is a new combination based upon Carl Willdenow’s Andromeda walteri, and replaces the commonly used name L. fontanesiana (Steud.) Sleum. This proposal results from inspection of Willde now’s original description and type material at the Berlin Herbarium as well as with descriptions and types of synonyms. Willdenow’s combination appears to be the earliest valid, unencumbered name. Leucothoe walteri occurs commonly in moist, acid cove forests in the southern Appalachians from southern Virginia to northern Georgia.