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western goldenrod, western goldentop

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

Habit Perennials or subshrubs, 40–200 cm. Perennials, 30–150 cm.
Stems

(erect, stout) glabrous, glaucous.

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

Leaves

spreading-ascending to erect;

blades 3- or -5-nerved, linear, 82–100 × 4.3–10 mm, lengths 10–27 times widths, gradually to abruptly reduced distally, herbaceous to firm-herbaceous, margins scabrous, apices abruptly acute to acuminate, faces ± gland-dotted (18–56 dots per mm²), adaxial and vein axils often sparsely hairy.

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.

Involucres

campanulate, 3.7–4.9 mm.

broadly campanulate to campanulate, 3–5.3 mm.

Ray florets

(15–)17–22(–28).

(7–)17–22(–35).

Disc florets

(7–)9–11(–18);

corollas 3.1–4.2 mm.

(3–)5–7(–13);

corollas 2.6–3.4 mm.

Phyllaries

stramineous, sometimes green-tipped, outer narrowly lanceolate, inner linear (firm), apices acute to acuminate.

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

Heads

mostly pedunculate, in relatively narrow, elongate arrays 33–60% of plant heights (often interrupted and with multiple levels).

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

2n

= 18.

= 18.

Euthamia occidentalis

Euthamia graminifolia

Phenology Flowering Jul–Nov. Flowering Jul–Oct.
Habitat Moist to wet soils of streambeds, lake shores, and fresh to saline marshes Open fields, lake shores, and vacant lots
Elevation 0–1600 m (0–5200 ft) 0–900 m (0–3000 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NE; NM; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY; BC; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
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]
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.)

Source FNA vol. 20, p. 100. FNA vol. 20, p. 99.
Parent taxa Asteraceae > tribe Astereae > Euthamia Asteraceae > tribe Astereae > Euthamia
Sibling taxa
E. caroliniana, E. graminifolia, E. gymnospermoides, E. leptocephala
E. caroliniana, E. gymnospermoides, E. leptocephala, E. occidentalis
Synonyms E. californica, E. linearifolia, Solidago occidentalis 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
Name authority Nuttall: Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., n. s. 7: 326. (1840) (Linnaeus) Nuttall: Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., n. s. 7: 325. (1840)
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