Solidago elongata
Solidago speciosa
Cascade Canada goldenrod, narrow goldenrod, west coast Canada goldenrod, west coast goldenrod, west coast or Cascade Canada goldenrod
noble goldenrod, showy goldenrod
1–20+, erect, proximally sparsely to moderately strigoso-villous, distally usually moderately to densely so.
1(–5), erect, glabrous proximally to strigillose in arrays.
basal 0;
proximal cauline sessile, blades narrowly to broadly oblanceolate, 35–75(–100) × (6–)7.5–14(–20) mm, proximal much smaller, tapering to bases, margins subentire or finely serrulate to coarsely, sharply serrate (teeth 0–9 per side), ciliate, 3-nerved, sometimes obscurely so, apices acute, abaxial faces glabrate to sparsely short-strigose, adaxial glabrous;
mid to distal cauline sessile, blades oblanceolate, becoming lanceolate distally, 20–60 × 4–8(–11) mm, largest near mid stem, somewhat to much reduced distally, margins entire or finely serrulate, rarely serrate (teeth 1–8 per side), usually becoming entire to sparsely serrulate distally, ciliate, apices acute, faces glabrous or sparsely strigoso-villous, more so along abaxial nerves.
basal and proximal cauline (sometimes withering by flowering) tapering to winged petioles, blades lanceolate to ovate-elliptic, 50–300 (including petiole) × 12–80 mm (sometimes firm), margins sharply serrate to crenate or entire, faces glabrate to sparsely strigillose;
mid to distal cauline sessile, blades narrowly ovate to lanceolate or elliptic, 25–90 × 5–30 mm, gradually reduced distally, margins serrulate to entire (distally), ciliate, faces glabrous or sparsely scabroso-strigose.
2–7 mm, sparsely to moderately short strigoso-villous;
bracteoles 1–3, linear, rarely minutely stipitate-glandular.
1.5–3 mm, sparsely to moderately scabroso-strigillose;
bracteoles linear, grading into phyllaries, scattered along peduncles, clustered near heads.
narrowly campanulate, 2.5–3.5(–4) mm.
narrowly campanulate, 4–6.5 mm.
(8–)11–15(–17);
laminae 1–2.5 × 0.1–0.4(–0.7) mm.
(2–)3–7(–9);
laminae 3–4 × 0.5–1 mm.
(3–)5–11(–16);
corollas 2.6–3.7(–4) mm, lobes 0.5–1.2 mm.
6–16;
corollas 2.5–4 mm, lobes 0.5–1.2 mm.
in 3–4 series, strongly unequal, margins sparsely long ciliate, acute, faces glabrous, rarely sparsely minutely stipitate-glandular;
outer lanceolate, inner linear-lanceolate.
in 3–4 series, appressed, strongly unequal, outer ovate, mid and inner lanceolate, (midnerves often raised and thick) apices acute to obtuse or rounded, glabrous.
12–500+, sometimes secund, in short to long, thyrsiform or narrowly secund-pyramidal paniculiform arrays, usually congested, club-shaped to rarely wand-shaped, (2.5–) 10–20 × (2–)4–8(–10) cm, branches usually ascending or sometimes arching spreading.
15–300+, not secund, in usually dense, sometimes open, elongate, paniculiform to thyrsiform arrays, (5–)10–45 × (2–)3–7(–12) cm;
branches strongly ascending, often racemiform.
(narrowly obconic) 1–1.5 mm, sparsely to moderately strigose;
pappi 2.5–3.3 mm.
(narrowly obconic) 1.6–2.5 mm, glabrous;
pappi 3–4.5 mm.
= 18, 36.
Solidago elongata
Solidago speciosa
In California, coastal plants of Solidago elongata often have thicker leaves; those of the Sierras are often membranous and obscurely triple-nerved. This species can be similar to S. lepida, which usually has much larger distal cauline leaves.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Subspecies 2 (2 in the flora).
Solidago speciosa occurs scattered throughout its range, often in small populations. Five races have been acknowledged; only three varieties appear to warrant recognition. The species is divided into two nearly allopatric subspecies. The typical subspecies includes two varieties that are sometimes difficult to distinguish and considerably overlap in their ranges. The differences in size and number of leaves and persistence of the proximal cauline leaves may be caused in part by growing conditions.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Leaves pale green, somewhat glaucous; plants 30–80 cm; e Colorado, extreme w Oklahoma, and adjacent New Mexico, disjunct in Black Hills (S. speciosa subsp. pallida) | var. pallida |
1. Leaves usually dark green, not glaucous; plants usually 80–200 cm; e deciduous forest onto e prairies and oak savannas (S. speciosa subsp. speciosa) | → 2 |
2. Basal leaves usually present at flowering, (20–) 28–55 mm wide, often coarsely serrate; mid cauline leaves (10–)20–28 mm wide, not crowded, not stiff, not scabrous; e UnitedStates | var. speciosa |
2. Basal leaves persisting or not to flowering, 8–20 mm wide, often entire or shallowly serrate; mid cauline leaves 4–15(–20) mm wide, often crowded, usually stiff, often somewhat scabrous; w portions of deciduous forest and adjacent prairies, glade habitats further east | var. rigidiuscula |
- Local floras:
BC, 
CA, 
OR, 
WA - Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos,
Flora NW, 
PNW Herbaria 
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist (observations)
USDA Plants Database- LBJ Wildflower Center
- SEINet
- Plants of the World Online
- Encyclopedia of Life
- Wikipedia
- Google Image Search
Go Botany
IL Wildflowers
KS Wildflowers
LA Plants
MD Biodiversity
MI Flora
MN Wildflowers
MO Plants
