Solidago simplex
Solidago ptarmicoides
alpine goldenrod, dune goldenrod, Mt. Albert goldenrod, Rand's goldenrod, spikelike goldenrod, sticky goldenrod
prairie goldenrod, upland white aster, verge-d'or faux-ptarmica, white flat-top goldenrod
1–10+, ascending to erect, proximally glabrous, strigose in arrays.
1–20+, erect, slender, glabrous proximally, hispid distally.
basal and proximal cauline petiolate, blades narrowly oblanceolate, (20–)50–100(–160) × (2–)5–16(–56) mm, margins serrate to crenate, apices acute to obtuse, glabrous;
mid and distal sessile, similar, blades lanceolate to linear, 12–45 × 2–19 mm, reduced distally, margins entire to sparsely serrate, sometimes resinous.
basal and proximal cauline persistent, subpetiolate to sessile, blades sometimes 3-nerved, linear to linear-lanceolate, 60–100 × 7–10 mm, stiff, flat, margins entire or subentire, faces glabrous or sparsely hairy;
mid to distal cauline sessile, blades linear oblanceolate to linear, 20–40 × 3–5 mm, reduced distally, margins entire.
3.1–10.3 mm, glabrate to sparsely strigillose;
bracteoles few, linear.
29–36.5 mm, strigillose;
bracteoles linear.
campanulate, 3–7 mm.
5–6 mm.
7–16;
laminae 2–5 × 0.7–0.9 mm.
10–20, usually white, rarely pale yellow (conspicuous);
laminae 7–7.3 × 1.4–1.6 mm.
6–31;
corollas 4–4.9 mm, lobes 0.6–1.3(–2) mm.
30–36;
corollas 3.8–4.1 mm, lobes 0.5–0.7 mm.
(in 3–4 series) strongly unequal, often resinous;
outer ovate, acute, inner linear-oblong, obtuse.
in 4–5 series, usually prominently 1-nerved, linear, strongly unequal, outer acute, inner acute to obtuse, glabrous.
3–150, not secund, in narrowly elongate, paniculiform arrays, broadly so in robust plants (12.5–19 × 2.5–3 cm wide), consisting of short axillary and terminal racemiform clusters, proximal branches elongate in larger plants, branches glabrate to strigillose.
1–25(–50), in corymbiform arrays.
narrowly obconic, 1.9–3.2 mm, sometimes with dark ridges, strigillose;
pappi 1.9–5.2 mm (bristles sometimes clavate).
(obconic) 1–1.5 mm (ribbed), glabrous;
pappi 3.4–4 mm (apically clavate).
= 18.
Solidago simplex
Solidago ptarmicoides
Varieties 7 (7 in the flora).
The somewhat viscid-resinous heads of Solidago simplex are its most distinctive feature, separating it from similar sympatric species. G. S. Ringius (1985) did a detailed multivariate analysis of the S. spathulata/S. simplex complex (the latter under the name S. glutinosa). The cytogeography of the species complex was presented by Ringius and J. C. Semple (1987). Neither study included data on the next three species occurring in the southeastern United States.
The species is divided into two subspecies and seven varieties following G. S Ringius (1985) and J. C. Semple et al. (1999). Three varieties occur in the diploid transcontinental subsp. simplex: var. simplex, var. nana, and var. chlorolepis. Four varieties occur in the eastern North American tetraploid-hexaploid subsp. randii: var. monticola, var. gillmanii, var. ontarioensis, and var. racemosa. Except for var. simplex, varieties are restricted to different habitats in relatively limited ranges.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
L. Brouillet and J. C. Semple (1981) summarized the morphologic, chemical, cytological, and hybridization data on Solidago ptarmicoides and concluded that, except for the white rays, it is a typical member of sect. Ptarmicoidei. The species hybridizes with S. rigida, S. ohioensis, S. riddellii, and perhaps other goldenrods. It is not known to hybridize with any species of aster (regardless of genus); the supposed Aster × Solidago hybrids are the basis of all reports of intergeneric hybrids in the literature. Horticultural hybrids involving S. ptarmicoides and other Solidago species have been treated as S. ×luteus (M. L. Green ex Dress) Brouillet & Semple (×Solidaster luteus M. L. Green ex Dress). Solidago ×bernardii B. Boivin [Oligoneuron ×bernardii (B. Boivin) G. L. Nesom] is the formal name applied to S. ptarmicoides × S. riddellii hybrids; those have cream rays. Solidago ×lutescens (Lindley ex de Candolle) B. Boivin [Diplopappus lutescens Lindley ex de Candolle; D. albus var. lutescens (Lindley ex de Candolle) Hooker ex Torrey & A. Gray; Aster lutescens (Lindley ex de Candolle) Hooker ex Torrey & A. Gray; A. ptarmicoides var. lutescens (Lindley ex de Candolle) A. Gray; Oligoneuron ×lutescens (Lindley ex de Candolle) G. L. Nesom] applies to hybrids between S. ptarmicoides and S. rigida or S. riddellii from the prairies; these also have cream colored rays.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Basal and cauline leaves spatulate to orbiculate, apices obtuse to rounded; cypselae moderately to densely strigose (S. simplex subsp. simplex) | → 2 |
1. Basal and cauline leaves spatulate to obovate, apices usually acute; cypselae sparsely to moderately strigose (S. simplex subsp. randii) | → 5 |
2. Cauline leaves 5–16 (longest 60+ mm); w North America, disjunct along shores of upper Great Lakes and in s Quebec | var. simplex |
2. Cauline leaves 2–7 (longest to 60 mm); alpine slopes, w North America, Mt. Albert, Gaspé, Quebec | → 3 |
3. Shortest phyllaries 1.4–2 mm; disc corollas 3.9–4.2 mm; serpentine soils, Mt. Albert, Gaspé, Quebec | var. chlorolepis |
3. Shortest phyllaries 2.1–3.1 mm; disc corollas 4.2–5.4 mm; alpine slopes, Rocky Mountains, Cascade Mountains, Vancouver Island. | → 4 |
4. Basal leaves usually spatulate, rarely broadly elliptic, proximal blades gradually attenuated to winged petioles, margins weakly crenate; alpine slopes, Rocky Mountains | var. simplex |
4. Basal leaves orbiculate to broadly elliptic, proximal blades abruptly attenuated to winged petioles, margins distinctly crenate; alpine slopes of Cascade Mountains, Vancouver Island | var. nana |
5. Proximal cauline leaves spatulate to obovate, (5–)10–42 mm wide; leaf margins often sharply serrate | → 6 |
5. Proximal cauline leaves lanceolate to narrowly spatulate, 2–10(–21.5) mm wide; leaf margins entire or dentate, rarely serrate | → 7 |
6. Plants (10–)18–53(–83) cm, arrays tending to be compact, virgate; proximal cauline leaves (5–)10–22(–31) mm wide, margins crenate to serrate; barren, rocky, non-alpine uplands; se Quebec, New England, New York | var. monticola |
6. Plants (20–)38–73(–84) cm, robust, arrays tending to be paniculiform; proximal cauline leaves (6–)7.5–24(–42) mm wide, margins often sharply serrate; sand dunes, Lake Michigan, n Lake Huron | var. gillmanii |
7. Cauline leaves (3–)12–33(–58); peduncle bracteoles 2+; calcareous rocky riverbanks, e Quebec s to West Virginia and Maryland | var. racemosa |
7. Cauline leaves (2–)4–13(–24); peduncle bracteoles 1–3(–4); rocky shores, Lake Superior, n Lake Huron | var. ontarioensis |
BC
OR
WA
Flora NW
Go Botany
MD Biodiversity
MI Flora
MN Wildflowers
PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
IL Wildflowers
MO Plants
