Solidago sect. Ptarmicoidei
Solidago rigida
stiff-leaf goldenrod
1–10+, erect, stout, hairy.
basal (rosettes) usually present at flowering, largest;
petiole bases or vasculature persisting on rhizomes;
proximalmost cauline petiolate, often present but withered at flowering;
proximal and distal usually with 1 prominent nerve (multiple nerves proximally in S. riddellii).
basal and proximal cauline usually present at flowering, abruptly narrowed to long petioles, blades ovate to rhombic, 80–200 × 24–50 mm, firm, flat, margins entire to crenate, sometimes undulate, apices obtuse to acute, faces densely hairy;
mid to distal cauline sessile, blades ovate, 30–50 × 15–17 mm, stiff, greatly reduced distally, margins entire or finely serrate, sometimes undulate, apices acute to obtuse.
3–15 mm, strigillose-canescent, bracteoles 1–3, linear-lanceolate.
campanulate, 6–8 mm.
6–13;
laminae 1.4–5.4 × 1.2–1.9 mm.
14–35;
corollas 4.3–6.1 mm, lobes 0.6–1.1 mm.
striate with 3–7 nerves (except S. ptarmicoides), eglandular.
in 3–4 series, unequal, oblong, conspicuously striate (3–5 pronounced nerves), obtuse.
in flat-topped to rounded corymbiform arrays, sometimes glomerulate.
9–190, in corymbiform arrays, compact or branches long and spreading, densely hairy throughout.
(obconic) 0.8–1.7 mm (ribbed), glabrous or strigillose apically;
pappi 3–4 mm.
bristles in 2 series (outer not clavate, inner longest, somewhat to strongly clavate).
Solidago sect. Ptarmicoidei
Solidago rigida
Species 6 (6 in the flora).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Subspecies 3 (3 in the flora).
Solidago rigida is divided into three subspecies with distinct morphologies and partially overlapping ranges. Intermediates occur between the subspecies in areas of sympatry.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Leaves, stems and peduncles moderately to densely short-hairy; distal cauline leaf bladesovate, flat, never folded along midrib | S. rigida |
1. Leaves, stems, and peduncles glabrous or sparsely hairy; distal leaf blades linear to lanceolate, sometimes folded along midrib | → 2 |
2. Rays white (rarely cream); leaf blades linear, stiff, glabrous or sparsely hairy | S. ptarmicoides |
2. Rays yellow; leaf blades linear to linear-lanceolate, stiff or flexible, glabrous | → 3 |
3. Rays 1–4, peduncles usually sparsely to moderately strigillose; Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas | S. nitida |
3. Rays 6–12, peduncles glabrous or moderately strigillose; Manitoba, midwestern and Great Lakes states s to e Missouri | → 4 |
4. Involucres (5.5–)6–8(–9) mm; proximal and mid cauline leaves usually 3-nerved (sometimes obscurely), the 2 prominent lateral nerves arising proximally and running alongside midnerve for some distance before abruptly diverging; heads usually 10–30(–50)(–100+ rarely, in aberrant plants); plants 30–60+ cm; rays occasionally lighter yellow with age (damp,interdunal hollows, limestone alvars, Michigan, Ontario) | S. houghtonii |
4. Involucres 4–6 mm; mid and distal cauline leaves not 3-nerved or if so then nerves parallel and not abruptly diverging; heads usually (10– on shorter stems)50–400; plants 40–120 cm | → 5 |
5. Leaves flat, only 1 nerve prominent; arrays corymbiform; dunes, marshes, along rivers,Great Lakes area, New York to Illinois and Wisconsin | S. ohioensis |
5. Leaves folded along midrib and with (2–)3–8 prominent nerves at base; arrays somewhat paniculiform with rounded corymbiform branches; moist ground, sw Ontario toWisconsin and se Manitoba, sw to e Missouri | S. riddellii |
1. Outer phyllaries glabrous; leaves and stems glabrous or ± hispid | subsp. glabrata |
1. Outer phyllaries strigillose; leaves and stems moderately to densely hispid or strigose | → 2 |
2. Inner phyllaries glabrate to sparsely strigillose, oblong and rounded; plants robust (60–150 cm); arrays loose, open; leaves and stems coarsely hispid (fewer than 50 hairs/mm 2) | subsp. rigida |
2. Inner phyllaries conspicuously strigillose, often linear; plants usually short (30–70 cm), sometimes taller; arrays compact; leaves and stems finely and densely hispido-strigose (more than 50 hairs/mm 2) | subsp. humilis |
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