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- Solidago caesia
Solidago caesia — axillary goldenrod, blue-stem goldenrod
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New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
Facts
Axillary goldenrod has flower-head-bearing branchlets emerging from the axes of the stems, hence the common name. Another common name for this species is bluestem goldenrod, because the stem develops a blue or purple color.
Habitat
Forest edges, forests, woodlands
Characteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf arrangement
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Leaf blade edges
-
- the edge of the leaf blade has no teeth or lobes
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
- Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
- Ray flower color
- yellow
- Tuft or plume on fruit
- at least a part of the plume is made up of fine bristles
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Leaf blade length
- 50–150 mm
- Disk flower number
-
- 1-5
- 6-10
-
Flowers
- Bases of bract appendages
- NA
- Bract cycle number
- there are three or more cycles of bracts
- Bract inner side hairs
- the bracts are not hairy on their inner surfaces
- Bract keels
- the bracts do not have keels
- Bract margins
- there are fine hairs along the bract margins
- Bract outer side hair type
- the bracts are not hairy on their outer surface
- Bract outer side hairs
- the bracts are not hairy on their outer surfaces
- Bract separation
- the bracts appear completely unconnected to one another on all flower heads
- Bract shape
-
- the main bracts are linear (long and very narrow)
- the main bracts are oblong (roughly rectangular but rounded at the ends)
- Bract spines
- the bracts have no spines
- Bract tip color
- the tips are a different color from the center of the bract
- Bract tip extension appearance
- NA
- Bract tip extension edge
- there are no projections from the bract tips
- Bract tip orientation
- the bracts are pressed against the plant, or spreading out at the tips
- Bract tip shape
-
- the tips of the bracts acute (have a sharp point)
- the tips of the bracts are obtuse (have a blunt point)
- Bracts
- there are at least two distinct forms of bracts in different cycles
- Disk flower color
- yellow
- Disk flower lobe number
- 5
- Disk flower number
-
- 1-5
- 6-10
- Disk flower reproductive parts
- the disk flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
- Disk flower shape
- the disk flower is abruptly widened at some point below the lobes
- Flower head number
- each flowering stem has four or more flower heads on it
- Flower head outer flowers
- at the outer edge of the flower head, each flower has a single enlarged lobe or strap
- Flower head platform
- the base has no bristles or papery scales
- Flower head platform surface
- NA
- Flower head position
- each of the flower heads is separate on its own peduncle (stalk), not clustered in groups
- Flower head profile
- the disk is rounded across the top
- Flower head shape
- the sides of the flower head are roughly parallel, like a cylinder
- Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
- Height of flower head base
- 3.5–7.2 mm
- Inflorescence branching (Solidago)
- the flower heads spiral around the flowering stem; the tips of the flowering stems do not arch or curve downwards
- Inflorescence shape
- the flower heads grow in clusters from the axils of the branches or leaves
- Inflorescence stem
- the stem of the inflorescence is not hairy
- Number of bracts at flower head base
- 12–16
- Ovary attachment
- the ovary is attached at or near the base
- Ovary beak
- there is no beak on the ovary
- Ovary cross-section
-
- the ovary has five or more corners in cross-section
- the ovary is compressed (flattened)
- Ovary hair type
- the ovary has hairs on it, but the hairs have no glands
- Ovary hairs
- the ovary has hairs on it
- Ovary lines or ribs
-
- there are seven to nine ribs visible on the ovary
- there are ten or more ribs visible on the ovary
- Ovary profile
-
- in profile, the ovary is another shape
- in profile, the ovary is oblong (roughly rectangular but rounded at the ends)
- Ovary surface
- the ovary surface has no points, bumps or wrinkles, though it may have lines, ribs or wings
- Ovary wing number
- 0
- Peduncle hairs
- the peduncles are hairy
- Peduncle length
- 2–10 mm
- Ray flower color
- yellow
- Ray flower reproductive parts
- the ray flowers have carpels or stamens, but not both
- Ray flowers
-
- 1-5
- 6-10
- Ray length
- 1.5–4 mm
- Reproductive system
- some of the flowers on the plant have only carpels or stamens, while others have both carpels and stamens
- Scale tip
- NA
- Smaller bracts at base of bracts
- there is no smaller, outer cycle of bracts
- Style branch number
- the style has two branches
- Style branches
- the style branch is narrow at the tip, or the style branches are narrow at the tips
- Width of flower head base
- 1–3 mm
-
Fruits or seeds
- Number of pappus parts
- 11 or more
- Ovary beak length
- 0 mm
- Ovary length in developed fruit
- 1–2.5 mm
- Seed hair tuft bases
- the pappus hairs are not attached to one another near the base
- Seed hair tuft details
- the pappus hairs are hooked or barbed
- Seed hair tuft length
- 2–3.7 mm
- Seed hair tuft tips
-
- at least some of the pappus hairs are broader at their tips than their bases
- the pappus hairs are slender
- Seed hairs uniform
- there are two distinct lengths of pappus hairs
- Seed tuft scale number
- 0
- Seed tuft type
- the pappus is made of very fine hairs or bristles
- Top of disk flower ovary
- NA
- Tuft or plume on fruit
- at least a part of the plume is made up of fine bristles
-
Glands or sap
- Leaf blade glands
- the leaf blades have no glandular (translucent) dots or scales
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
-
Growth form
- Growth form
- the plant has one or more free-standing stems
- Plant lifespan
- the plant is perennial, it shows evidence of previous year's leaves, stems or stem bases
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Underground organs
- the plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)
-
Leaves
- Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Hairs on underside of leaf blade
-
- the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- the underside of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
- Hairs on upper side of leaf blade
-
- the upper side of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
- Leaf arrangement
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Leaf blade base
-
- the leaf has a distinct petiole
- the leaf has no petiole
- Leaf blade base shape
- the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow
- Leaf blade bloom
- the underside of the leaf has no noticeable bloom
- Leaf blade edges
-
- the edge of the leaf blade has no teeth or lobes
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
- Leaf blade hairs
- NA
- Leaf blade length
- 50–150 mm
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
- Leaf blade surface colors
- there is no noticeable color variation on the upper surface of the leaf
- Leaf blade tip
- the tip of the leaf blade is acuminate (tapers to a long, thin point)
- Leaf blade veins
- the leaf blade has one main vein running from the base towards the tip
- Leaf blade width
- 10–30 mm
- Leaf disposition
- the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem
- Leaf spines
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
- Leaf stalk
-
- the leaves have leaf stalks
- the leaves have no leaf stalks, but attach directly to the stem
- Leaf stalk length
- At least 0 mm
- Leaf tip extension
- NA
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaflet number
- 0
- Specific leaf type
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets
- Teeth per side of leaf blade
- 0–24
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- edges of forests
- forests
- woodlands
-
Scent
- Plant odor
- the plant does not have much of an odor
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Flowering stem cross-section
- the flowering stem is circular, or with lots of small angles
- Leaves on stem
- there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
- Stem bloom
- the stem has a powdery or waxy film on it that can be rubbed away
- Stem internode hair direction
- NA
- Stem internode hair length
- 0 mm
- Stem internode hair type
- the stem has no hairs between the nodes
- Stem internode hairs
- the stem has no hairs between the nodes
- Stem wings
- the stem does not have wings on it
Wetland status
Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but occasionally in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACU)
New England distribution and conservation status
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Maine
- unranked (S-rank: SNR)
var. caesia
- Massachusetts
- widespread (S-rank: S5)
Native to North America?
Yes
Synonyms
- Solidago axillaries Pursh
- Solidago caesia var. axillaries (Pursh) Gray
Family
Genus
Notes on subspecies and varieties in New England
Our variety is Solidago caesia L. var. caesia.
From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae
5. Solidago caesia L. var. caesia N
axillary goldenrod. Solidago axillaris Pursh; S. caesia L. var. axillaris (Pursh) Gray • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Mesic, deciduous forests and woodlands, forest borders.