Solidago rugosa
Solidago missouriensis
common wrinkle-leaf goldenrod, rough-stem goldenrod, verge d'or rugueuse, wrinkle-leaf goldenrod
Missouri goldenrod, prairie goldenrod
1–50+, erect, glabrous or densely hispid to strigose.
1–50+, erect, glabrous or sometimes sparsely strigose in arrays;
fascicles of small lateral branch leaves often present in axils.
basal withering by flowering;
proximal cauline usually withering by flowering, sessile, blades elliptic to lanceolate, 68–104 × 20–25 mm, margins sharply serrate, apices acute to attenuate, abaxial faces usually hispido-strigose (at least on main nerves), nerves sometimes prominent, abaxial glabrate;
mid to distal cauline sessile, blades lanceolate, elliptic or ovate, (15–)40–75(–90) × (6–)12–22(–32) mm, largest at midstem, somewhat reduced to much reduced distally, margins coarsely to finely serrate, ciliate, indument similar to proximal or denser.
proximal cauline tapering to long, winged petioles, blades oblanceolate to linear-oblanceolate, 50–100(–200) (including petiole) × (5–)10–20(–30) mm, margins entire to serrulate, usually 3-nerved (2 larger lateral nerves), apices acute, mucronate to acuminate and somewhat spinulose, glabrous;
mid to distal cauline sessile, blades lanceolate to linear, 40–60 × (2–)4–14 mm, rapidly reduced distally, margins entire, ciliate, faces glabrous.
1–1.8 mm, sparsely to densely hispido-strigillose;
bracteoles linear- lanceolate to ovate.
1.4–5 mm, glabrous or sparsely strigose;
bracteoles 0–3+, linear to lanceolate.
narrowly campanulate, (2–)2.5–3.5(–4.5) mm.
narrowly to broadly campanulate, 2.5–4.5 mm.
(4–)6–8(–12);
laminae (0.9–)1–1.6(–2.3) × 0.4–0.7 mm.
5–14;
laminae 1.5–2(–4) × 0.2–0.5(–0.75) mm.
(2–)4–6(–8);
corollas 2–3.5(–4.5) mm, lobes (0.5–)0.7–1(–1.3) mm.
(6–)8–20;
corollas (2–)3–4 mm, lobes 0.4–1 mm.
in 3–4 series, strongly unequal, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, acute to obtuse.
in 3–4 series, strongly unequal, margins ciliate-fimbriate, especially apically;
outer ovate to lanceolate, acute to rounded, inner linear-ovate to oblong or linear-lanceolate, obtuse to rounded.
50–1500, secund, in secund-pyramidal paniculiform arrays 7–36(–50) × 9–26 cm, compact to lax, branches divergent and recurved, longest 0.8–34 cm, leafy-bracteate.
10–210 in paniculiform arrays, broadly secund-pyramidal or more rhombic to transversely rhombic, (1.5–)3–12(–20) × (1.5–)3–12 cm;
branches glabrous with secund heads spreading and arching, sometimes ascending with non-secund heads.
(narrowly obconic) 0.9–1.5 mm, moderately strigillose;
pappi 1.8–2.5 mm.
(obconic) 1–2 mm, glabrous or sparsely strigose;
pappi 2.5–3 mm.
= 18, 36.
Solidago rugosa
Solidago missouriensis
Subspecies 2 (2 in the flora).
Solidago rugosa is highly variable in size, array shape, and hairiness. It is similar to members of the S. canadensis complex; it differs in not having 3-nerved leaves. The species is divided into two subspecies and five varieties that can be difficult to distinguish.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Solidago missouriensis was often introduced along railroad lines farther east. It is a highly variable species. In the east, it can be similar to S. juncea and is not always easily distinguished where ranges overlap. In the west, it can similar to smaller plants of S. spectabilis. It is distinguished from the related species by its usually 3-nerved proximal leaves and the usually thin, elongate rhizomes. Across the prairies the species is known to be diploid only (2n = 18). In the Rocky Mountains, tetraploids (2n = 36) are common, the diploids infrequent.
A number of varieties have been described. Shorter, often larger-headed plants (tetraploids when known) from the Rocky Mountains have been treated as var. missouriensis (including var. extraria). Taller, more leafy-stemmed plants, mostly from the eastern half of the range, but occasionally west to Washington, have been treated as var. fasciculata. Plants from Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico with long, linear leaves have been treated as var. tenuissima. Larger-headed plants with narrow bracts from prairies west of the Cascades in Oregon and Washington have been treated as var. tolmieana. A. Cronquist (1994) opted not to recognize varieties, noting that all appeared to grade continuously into each other. A detailed study of the species is needed.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Leaves relatively thin, not very rugose, usually sharply toothed, apices acuminate, glabrous or relatively soft-hairy; ray florets (4–)6–11(–13); northern (subsp. rugosa) | → 2 |
1. Leaves relatively thick and firm, strongly rugose-nerved, usually blunt-toothed to subentire, apices often acute, relatively short and stiff hairy; ray florets 4–9; mostly se United States (subsp. aspera) | → 3 |
2. Stems and leaves hairy; e Canada and ne United States s to Virginia | var. rugosa |
2. Stems and leaves glabrous; coastal cedar bogs and swamps | var. sphagnophila |
3. Arrays narrow, proximal branches not much exceeding subtending leaves; herbage sparsely hairy; mid to higher elevations in mountains | var. cronquistiana |
3. Arrays wide, usually with elongate proximal branches greatly exceeding subtending leaves; herbage moderately to densely hairy; lower elevations in mountains, piedmont, and coastal plain | → 4 |
4. Distal cauline leaves lanceolate to elliptic, not much reduced distally; much of range of subspecies | var. aspera |
4. Distal cauline leaves ovate, much reduced distally; outer coastal plain | var. celtidifolia |
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