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common goldentop, common grass-leaf-goldenrod, flat-top goldentop, fragrant goldenrod, grass-leaf goldenrod, grass-leaf goldentop, verge d'or à feuilles de graminées

bushy goldentop, Mississippi Valley goldentop

Habit Perennials, 30–150 cm. Perennials or subshrubs, 30–100 cm.
Stems

(commonly branched in distal 1/4) glabrous or densely spreading-hirtellous, not glaucous.

(erect, striate-angled) glabrous, not glaucous.

Leaves

spreading to ascending;

blades 3- or 5-nerved, linear to lanceolate, 37–130 × (2.1–)3–12 mm, lengths 7–20 times widths, abruptly to gradually reduced distally, herbaceous to firm-herbaceous, margins scabro-ciliate, apices obtuse to acuminate, faces usually little and obscurely gland-dotted (26–47 dots per mm²), barely viscid (more so on exposed shores), glabrous or densely spreading-hirtellous.

ascending to spreading-ascending;

blades 3- or -5-nerved, lanceolate to narrowly lanceolate, 40–80 × 3–6(–9) mm, lengths 8–18 times widths, abruptly reduced distally, firm-herbaceous, margins scabrous, apices mostly acute, faces glabrous, little and obscurely gland-dotted (9–29 dots per mm²), sometimes pustulate.

Involucres

broadly campanulate to campanulate, 3–5.3 mm.

obconic, 4–6 mm.

Ray florets

(7–)17–22(–35).

usually 7–14.

Disc florets

(3–)5–7(–13);

corollas 2.6–3.4 mm.

3–6;

corollas 3.3–4.4 mm.

Phyllaries

often ± yellow basally, outer (at least) usually green-tipped, outer ovate, inner oblong, apices obtuse or broadly acute.

yellowish at bases, usually green-tipped, outer narrowly ovate, inner nearly linear, apices rounded to subacute (sometimes slightly resinous).

Heads

glomerulate, usually in flat-topped arrays (1.5–28 cm diam.), 10–28% of plant heights (branches unequal, giving irregular, broken appearance).

glomerate or pedunculate, in compact, usually round-topped arrays 6–35% of plant heights.

2n

= 18.

= 18.

Euthamia graminifolia

Euthamia leptocephala

Phenology Flowering Jul–Oct. Flowering Sep–Nov.
Habitat Open fields, lake shores, and vacant lots Moist, sandy soils of open areas, woodlands, and forest openings
Elevation 0–900 m (0–3000 ft) 0–100 m (0–300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; CO; CT; DE; IA; IL; IN; KY; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MS; MT; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; MB; NF; NS; NT; ON; PE; QC; SK; SPM [Introduced in Europe, Asia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; AR; FL; GA; LA; MO; MS; NC; OK; TN; TX
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Plants with densely hairy leaves and stems have been called var. nuttallii. Though extremes are distinct, the plants cannot be reliably separated rangewide from typical Euthamia graminifolia. Plants called var. major have been distinguished primarily on the basis of leaf dimensions (lengths 8–11 times widths in var. major versus 11–20 in typical E. graminifolia). Overlap is extensive; no discrete boundaries can be drawn.

Euthamia hirtipes was described as a putative hybrid involving a hairy E. graminifolia and a small-headed E. caroliniana (M. L. Fernald 1946d). It combines broad, hairy leaf blades with few-flowered heads, a condition that is not intermediate between the putative parents. D. J. Sieren and J. F. Merrit (1980) and C. E. Taylor (1975) reviewed the plants. Until evidence can be supplied to the contrary, E. hirtipes should be considered a synonym of E. graminifolia.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

I have seen no specimens of Euthamia leptocephala from Kentucky; it is to be expected there.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 20, p. 99. FNA vol. 20, p. 100.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Astereae > Euthamia Asteraceae > tribe Astereae > Euthamia
Sibling taxa
E. caroliniana, E. gymnospermoides, E. leptocephala, E. occidentalis
E. caroliniana, E. graminifolia, E. gymnospermoides, E. occidentalis
Synonyms Chrysocoma graminifolia, E. fastigiata, E. floribunda, E. graminifolia var. major, E. graminifolia var. nuttallii, E. hirtipes, Solidago camporum var. tricostata, Solidago graminifolia var. major, Solidago graminifolia var. septentrionalis, Solidago hirtipes, Solidago lanceolata Solidago leptocephala
Name authority (Linnaeus) Nuttall: Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., n. s. 7: 325. (1840) (Torrey & A. Gray) Greene ex Porter & Britton: Mem. Torrey Bot. Club 5: 321. (1894)
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