Solidago hispida
Solidago albopilosa
hairy goldenrod, verge d'or hispide
white-hair goldenrod
1(–5), erect, simple, glabrous or moderately to densely hispido-villous, sometimes hairs appressed.
1–3+, erect, flexuous in proximal arrays, moderately to densely villous.
basal and proximal cauline tapering to winged petioles, blades broadly oblanceolate to obovate or elliptic, 35–200 (including petioles) × 15–60 mm, margins serrate or crenate, apices acute, faces sparsely to densely hispido-villous, rarely glabrous;
mid and distal cauline sessile, blades elliptic, 15–30 × 5–7 mm, rapidly reduced distally, margins entire.
basal withering by flowering;
basal and proximal cauline abruptly tapering to winged, villous petioles (petioles ± 1/2 or less total leaf length), blades broadly ovate to spatulate, 46–80(–90) × 23–47(–55) mm, margins serrate [teeth 6–12(–15)], abaxial faces moderately villous, more so along nerves, adaxial sparsely to moderately villoso-strigose;
distal cauline petiolate, similar to proximal or more elliptic, 27–45 × 13–20 mm, margins entire to slightly serrate.
1.5–2.5 mm, hispido-villous to canescent.
3–5 mm, sparsely strigose;
bracteoles 1–3 scattered, ovate.
campanulate, 4–6 mm.
campanulate, 4.3–6.5(–7) mm.
6–14;
laminae 1.5–4.5 × 0.5–1 mm.
3–5;
laminae 2.4–4 × 1–1.5 mm.
6–12;
corollas 3–4.5 mm, lobes 0.6–1.2 mm.
5–8;
corollas 2.2–2.5 mm, lobes ca. 1–2 mm.
in 3–4 series, appressed, strongly unequal, midribs and tips conspicuously green, margins white, scarious, apices obtuse, glabrous or moderately strigose.
in ca. 3 series, unequal, outer ovate, 1–1.5 mm, obtuse to acute, inner oblong, 1-nerved.
8–250+ in usually wand-paniculiform arrays of short axillary and terminal racemiform, non-secund clusters, sometimes proximal branches elongated, ascending and bearing short axillary and terminal racemiform clusters.
10–30, in short axillary and terminal racemiform/paniculiform clusters.
(narrowly obconic) 1–2.5 mm, glabrous;
pappi 2.5–4 mm (sometimes distinctly clavate).
(obconic) 1–2 mm, moderately hairy;
pappi 2.3–2.8 mm.
= 18.
= 36.
Solidago hispida
Solidago albopilosa
Ray floret color can fade with time, both in the field and on dried specimens, making it difficult to distinguish Solidago hispida from S. bicolor, in which it has sometimes been included. The latter tends to have slightly broader phyllaries and more obviously clavate pappus bristles. The two co-occur in some populations but do not appear to form hybrid swarms with a range in ray corolla color. Three varieties have been described on the basis of growth and pubescence features and are sometimes recognized. These may represent only extremes in continua of variation. Variety lanata has densely villous stems and leaves; such plants occur scattered through much of the range of the species. Two glabrous-stemmed varieties have been described; plants of var. tonsa are relatively small and were first described from Newfoundland; var. huronensis includes relatively tall glabrous plants found growing in sand dunes along the shore of Lake Huron in Michigan and Ontario. The latter plants have been treated as var. tonsa but the name is misapplied. Other varietal names are based on minor variations.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Of conservation concern.
Solidago albopilosa is found along the Red River Gorge in Menifee, Powell, and Wolfe counties. It is most similar to S. flexicaulis; it appears weaker and smaller than plants of S. flexicaulis that grow nearby, outside of the rockhouses. Its biology and origins have been discussed in detail (J. R. Beaudry 1959; M. L. Andreasen and W. H. Eshbaugh 1973). Solidago albopilosa is listed as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Federal Register 1988).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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