What to look for in the field:

The capitulescence consists of numerous long, somewhat thin, ascending to spreading and recurved branches, which are glabrous.  The capitulescence often has a flat-topped shape, but is not corymb-like.  Heads are crowded in one-sided arrays on branches.

Stems are glabrous throughout.

Leaves are basally-disposed.  Basal and lower stem leaves are large, oblanceolate, sharply toothed, glabrous, tapering to long, winged petioles, and often present at flowering on robust plants.  Mid- to upper stem leaves are glabrous, often recurved, and becoming progressively smaller in size upwards.  This is one of our most glabrous goldenrods.

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11/16/2009