Solidago speciosa
Solidago drummondii
noble goldenrod, showy goldenrod
Drummond's goldenrod
1(–5), erect, glabrous proximally to strigillose in arrays.
usually 1, ascending to erect, uniformly short villoso-strigose, occasionally glabrate proximally.
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.
basal and proximal cauline short-petiolate, blades broadly ovate or elliptic-ovate, margins serrate, ± 3-nerved and pinnately nerved, abaxial faces (at least) evenly short villoso-strigose;
mid and distal cauline like proximal, 20–70 × 10–40 mm (1.3–2 times as long as wide), usually only those near arrays reduced and 1-nerved.
1.5–3 mm, sparsely to moderately scabroso-strigillose;
bracteoles linear, grading into phyllaries, scattered along peduncles, clustered near heads.
1–6 mm;
bracteoles ovate, minute, grading into phyllaries.
narrowly campanulate, 4–6.5 mm.
campanulate, 3–4.5 mm.
(2–)3–7(–9);
laminae 3–4 × 0.5–1 mm.
3–7;
laminae 1.5–2 × 0.5–1 mm.
6–16;
corollas 2.5–4 mm, lobes 0.5–1.2 mm.
4–7;
corollas (abruptly ampliate) 3–3.5 mm, lobes ca. 1 mm.
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.
in 3 series, strongly unequal, obtuse or rounded;
mid broadly oblong, inner narrowly so.
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.
30–200+, apparently sometimes drooping, in open leafy, secund pyramidal, paniculiform arrays, branches recurved, leafy-bracteate, secund, proximalmost branch sometimes separated by several nodes from next.
(narrowly obconic) 1.6–2.5 mm, glabrous;
pappi 3–4.5 mm.
1.5–2 mm (4–8 translucent ribs), moderately short-strigose;
pappi 2–2.5 mm.
= 18.
Solidago speciosa
Solidago drummondii
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.)
A. Cronquist (1980) listed Solidago drummondii as reputedly in Louisiana; K. N. Gandhi and R. D. Thomas (1989) did not see any specimen from that state.
(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 |
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