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Online Key to the
Goldenrods of New England
Euthamia and Solidago
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| 1a. Capitulescence is corymb-like. |
| 2a. Heads are in glomerules or on very short peduncles. |
| 3a. | Leaves are sparsely glandular to eglandular, narrowly lanceolate or linear, not sharply bent downwards, with 3-5 parallel veins. Heads are in glomerules. Stems are glabrous to sparsely pubescent below, becoming more short-pubescent above. Plants of open disturbed sites or thickets, often damp. E. graminifolia |
| 3b. | Leaves are linear, densely glandular, commonly with 1 prominent vein, but sometimes 3 parallel veins. Stem leaves copious, some sharply bent downwards, the larger subtending axillary tufts of smaller leaflets. Heads mostly on short peduncles, but occasionally sub-sessile or in glomerules. Plants of open rocky or sandy habitats. E. caroliniana |
| 2b. Heads are not in glomerules. |
| 4a. | Disc and ray florets both white (aster-like). Leaves narrowly lanceolate, tapering gradually to long, winged, clasping petioles, mostly glabrous, tips acute. Basal and lower stem leaves often present at flowering. Plants of open, rocky or sandy habitats. S. ptarmicoides |
| 4b. | Disc and ray florets yellow; heads conspicuous and showy. Basal and lower stem leaves tapering abruptly to winged petioles. Mid- to upper-stem leaves ovate, densely pubescent (rough to the touch), with acute or blunt tips, edges often wavy (not flat), clasping. Stems densely short pubescent. Plants of prairies, or similar habitats. S. rigida |
| 1b. Capitulescence is NOT corymb-like. |
| 5a. | Heads are in one-sided (secund) arrays on branches. Capitulescences are variously broad, with numerous medium- to long, more/less spreading branches. |
| 7a. | Basal and lower-most stem leaves are typically deciduous at flowering. Lower stem leaves, if present, do NOT have long winged petioles. Persistent stem leaves are not rapidly reduced in size upwards. |
| 8a. Stems are typically glaucous. | |||||
| 9a. | Leaves are triple-veined. Capitulescence is broad, with elongated, spreading, recurved branches. Colonial from rhizomes. Plants usually of disturbed sites, often damp. S. gigantea | ||||
| 9b. | Leaves are not triple-veined. Capitulescence is commonly narrow and elongated. Branches and branchlets are often shorter than subtending leaves. Stems are thin and wiry. Plants of upland woods and clearings. S. caesia | ||||
| 8b. Stems are not glaucous. | |||||
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| 7b. | Basal and lower-most stem leaves are often persistent at flowering. They taper to long, winged petioles. Mid- to upper stem leaves are rapidly reduced in size upwards. (i.e., basally disposed) |
| 10a. Leaves are fleshy and succulent. | ||
| Stems are glabrous but not glaucous. Leaves are lanceolate, glabrous and entire, the lower leaves sheathing stems. Heads are large and showy, crowded on branches. Plants primarily of coastal or sandy coastal plain habitats. S. sempervirens | ||
| 10b. Leaves are not fleshy or succulent. |
| 11a. Basal and lower-most stem leaves are oblanceolate, glabrous. | |||
| 12a. | Lower and mid-stem leaves sheath stems. Branches are sparsely pubescent. Plants of wet places: swamps, marshes, wet meadows and roadside ditches. S. uliginosa | ||
| 12b. | Lower and mid-stem leaves do not sheath stems. Branches are mostly glabrous. Plants of various dry habitats, mostly open and disturbed sites. S. juncea | ||
| 11b. | Basal and lower-most stem leaves are broadly ovate, variously short-pubescent. Branches and peduncles are pubescent. | ||
| 13a. | Stems are stout, angular in cross-section. Stem leaves are rough to the touch on upper surfaces. Plants of wet meadows and other damp habitats. S. patula | ||
| 13b. | Stems are not angular in cross-section. Stem leaves are glabrous, the lowest are sharply toothed. Plants of rich upland woods. S. arguta | ||
| 6b. Stems below the capitulescence are variously pubescent. |
| 14a. | The lower-most stem leaves are often persistent at flowering. Stem leaves become rapidly reduced in size upwards, often subtending axillary tufts of leaflets. | |
| Stems and branches are densely short pubescent throughout. Basal and lower-most stem leaves are oblanceolate, tapering to long, winged petioles. Mid- and upper stem leaves gradually become sessile. Short plants of open, sandy or rocky disturbed sites or upland woods. S. nemoralis |
| 14b. | Lower-most stem leaves are typically deciduous by flowering. Stem leaves are only gradually reduced in size below the capitulescence, if at all. |
| 15a. |
Stem leaves are ovate-lanceolate to broadly oblanceolate. |
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| 16a. | Stems are glabrous to sparsely pubescent below the capitulescence, becoming densely pubescent in the capitulescence. Lower-most stem leaves, if present taper to winged petioles. | |||
| Mid- to upper stem leaves gradually become narrower and sessile. Branches are thin, pubescent, ascending to spreading and often slightly recurved. Branch leaves are relatively small, lanceolate, toothless. Plants of dry, upland sites, including wooded. S. ulmifolia | ||||
| 16b. | Stems are densely pubescent throughout, sometimes rough to the touch. | |||
| 17a. | Capitulescence is often broad, with widely spreading, recurved branches. Branch leaves are numerous and conspicuous. Stem leaves are thin, sharply toothed, with tips that taper to long, slender points. Plants of disturbed sites. S. rugosa ssp.rugosa | |||
| 17b. | Capitulescence is somewhat compact with ascending to spreading, recurved branches. Branch leaves are numerous, but smaller than in ssp. rugosa. Stem leaves are thick, prominently-veined (rugose), finely toothed or sometimes toothless, and have short-pointed tips. Plants of dry disturbed sites. S. rugosa ssp. aspera | |||
| 15b. | Stem leaves are narrowly lanceolate or oblanceolate. |
| 18a. | Leaves are densely gland-dotted, fragrant, with a single main vein. |
| Stems are sparsely short-pubescent in lines, becoming more densely pubescent upwards. Leaves are narrowly lanceolate, gradually reduced in size upwards. Plants of dry disturbed sites. S. odora |
| 18b. | Leaves are triple-veined, but neither gland-dotted nor fragrant. |
| 19a. | Stems are glabrous below, gradually becoming pubescent above. Leaves are narrowly lanceolate or oblanceolate, often sharply toothed, the undersides are pubescent mostly along the main veins. Colonial from rhizomes. Plants of disturbed sites and old fields. S. canadensis * | ||
| 19b. | Stems are stout and densely pubescent throughout. Leaves are broadly lanceolate, finely toothed or untoothed; the undersides generally densely pubescent. Colonial from rhizomes. Plants of disturbed sites and old fields. S. altissima | ||
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| * Two varieties of S. canadensis have been defined. "Var hargeri" is distinguished primarily by having more densely pubescent lower and mid-stems than "var canadensis". Thus, it may appear as a smaller, thinner-stemmed version of S. altissima. Nevertheless, the distinctions between these are often minor and confusing. |
| 5b. | Heads are NOT in one-sided arrays on branches. Capitulescences are often narrow ("wand-like" or "club- like") with mostly short branches. |
| 20a. Stem leaves become rapidly reduced in size upwards. (i.e., basally disposed) |
| 21a. | Rays are white. |
| Stems are densely and conspicuously pubescent throughout, often slightly rough to the touch. Leaves are oblanceolate. Branches are often short, located in leaf axils, with few heads, crowded together. (Some branches may be considerably longer in robust plants.) Plants of dry upland woods of open disturbed areas. S. bicolor |
| 21b. | Rays are yellow. |
| 22a. | Stems are densely pubescent. Mid- to upper stem leaves are oblanceolate. Plants of rocky or sandy habitats, open or wooded. (Some branches may be considerably longer in robust plants, but branchlets are short and branch arrays are narrow.) |
| 23a. | Stem hairs are dense, but extremely short and inconspicuous (puberulent). S. puberula |
| 23b. | Stem hairs are longer and spreading, and may be somewhat rough to the touch. |
| 24a. | Phyllary chlorophyllous zones are conspicuous (distinctly visible against the pale white or yellowish background of the phyllary). Rays variously yellow. S. bicolor | ||||
| 24b. | Phyllary chlorophyllous zones are somewhat indistinct against the pale green background of the phyllary. Rays are a rich, bright yellow in color. S. hispida |
| 22b. | Stems are glabrous or sparsely pubescent below the capitulescence. Capitulescences are often broadly or narrowly "club-like". |
| 25a. | Phyllaries are sharply recurved (i.e., squarrose). | |||
| Basal and lower-most stem leaves are large, coarsely toothed, taper abruptly to long, narrow, winged petioles, and are often persistent at flowering. Mid- to upper stem leaves are oblanceolate, tapering to broad winged petioles. Heads are large and showy. Plants of upland woods or clearings, often on sweeter soils. S. squarrosa |
| 25b. | Phyllaries are not recurved or spreading (i.e., appressed). | ||||
| 26a. | Basal and at least lower stem leaves partially sheath stems. | ||||
| Basal and lower stem leaves are oblanceolate, taper to long, winged petioles. Leaves are generally glabrous. Plants of swamps, bogs, wet meadows marshes and roadside ditches. S. uliginosa | |||||
| 26b. | Basal and lower stem leaves do not sheath stems. | |||||
| 27a. | Involucres and bracts are resinous (gland-dotted). Stems and branches are glabrous. Plants of rocky, non-alpine uplands. S. simplex ssp. randii | |||||
| 27b. | Involucres and bracts are not resinous. Stems are glabrous below, becoming short pubescent in the capitulescence and on branches. Tall plants of open woods, clearings and meadows. S. speciosa | |||||
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| 20b. Stem leaves are only gradually reduced in size upwards, if at all. |
| 28a. | Stems are glabrous and glaucous, typically thin and wiry. | |
| Leaves are lanceolate or elliptic, more or less toothed, and taper to long, slender tips. The capitulescence is commonly narrow and elongated, with flowering branches that are shorter than subtending leaves. (Some branches may be considerably longer in robust plants.) Plants of upland woods and clearings. S. caesia |
| 28b. | Stems are glabrous below, but not glaucous, gradually becoming pubescent above; typically not thin or wiry. Basal and lower stem leaves are broadly ovate, sharply toothed, and taper to long, slender tips. |
| 29a. | Stems are bent at the nodes, at least within the capitulescence. Involucres are 4.5 to 7 mm high. Rays are 1- 5 per head. Seeds are pubescent. Plants of rich mesic woods, often on sweeter soils. S. flexicaulis | ||
| 29b. | Stems are straight (not bent at the nodes). Involucres are 9.5 to 11.5 mm high. Rays are 7-13 per head. Seeds are glabrous. Plants of cool mountain slopes and summits; ledges and outcrops on mountains. Mostly northerly within New England. S. macrophylla |
12/28/2009