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- Solidago patula
Solidago patula — rough-leaved 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
Rough-leaved goldenrod is found in swamps and riparian forests in far western New England, in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont, with a disjunct population in New Hampshire.
Habitat
Fens, forests, shores of rivers or lakes, swamps
Characteristics
- Habitat
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- 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
- basal: the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant
- 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
- 80–300 mm
- Disk flower number
-
- 1-5
- 11-20
- 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 ovate (egg-shaped)
- Bract spines
- the bracts have no spines
- 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
- the bracts in separate cycles are similar or gradually changing from the outer to inner cycles
- Disk flower color
- yellow
- Disk flower lobe number
- 5
- Disk flower number
-
- 1-5
- 11-20
- 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
- some or all the flower heads are grouped in clusters of two or more
- Flower head profile
-
- the disk is flat or nearly flat across the top
- the disk is rounded across the top
- 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
- 3–4.5 mm
- Inflorescence branching (Solidago)
- the flower heads tend to be all on one side of the stem; the tips of the flowering stems are arched or curved downwards
- Inflorescence shape
- the inflorescence is not flat-topped but appears rounded, with some flower heads distinctly higher than others
- Inflorescence stem
-
- hairs are present on the stem of the inflorescence
- the stem of the inflorescence is not hairy
- Number of bracts at flower head base
- 10–35
- 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 lance-shaped, but widest above the middle
- Ovary surface
- the ovary surface is textured with tiny points, bumps or wrinkles
- Ovary wing number
- 0
- Peduncle hairs
- the peduncles are hairy
- Peduncle length
- 1–3 mm
- Ray flower color
- yellow
- Ray flower reproductive parts
- the ray flowers have carpels or stamens, but not both
- Ray flowers
-
- 1-5
- 11-15
- 6-10
- Ray length
- 1.5–1.7 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 a cycle of much smaller bracts outside the cycle of larger and longer 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
- 2–4 mm
-
Fruits or seeds
- Ovary beak length
- 0 mm
- Ovary length in developed fruit
- 1.5–2 mm
- Seed hair tuft bases
- the pappus hairs are not attached to one another near the base
- Seed hair tuft color
- the pappus hairs are white or off-white
- Seed hair tuft details
- the pappus hairs are hooked or barbed
- Seed hair tuft length
- 2–3 mm
- Seed hair tuft tips
- the pappus hairs are slender
- Seed hairs uniform
- there are two distinct lengths of pappus hairs
- Seed tuft scale number
- At least 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
- 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 caudex (the root mass is firm and hardened at the top)
- 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
- Leaf arrangement
-
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- basal: the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant
- 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 flatness
- the leaf is flat (planar) at the edges
- Leaf blade hairs
- the leaf blade has hairs with glands at their tips
- Leaf blade length
- 80–300 mm
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly 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 acute (sharply pointed)
- Leaf blade veins
- the leaf blade has one main vein running from the base towards the tip
- Leaf blade width
- 40–100 mm
- Leaf disposition
- the lower leaves are larger, toothier, and/or on longer stalks than the upper leaves
- 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 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
-
Place
- Habitat
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- fens
- forests
- shores of rivers or lakes
- swamps
-
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 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 has wings on it that run down the stem from the leaf nodes
Wetland status
Occurs only in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: OBL)
New England distribution and conservation status
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- absent
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Vermont
- uncommon (S-rank: S3)
var. patula
- Massachusetts
- fairly widespread (S-rank: S4)
- New Hampshire
- historical (S-rank: SH), endangered (code: E)
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Solidago arguta:
- leaf blades glabrous adaxially and stems terete or striate, but without prominent angles (vs. S. patula, with leaf blades adaxially strongly scabrous and stems prominently angled, each angle often with a narrow wing).
Family
Genus
Notes on subspecies and varieties in New England
Our variety is Solidago patula Muhl. ex Willd. var. patula.
From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae
17. Solidago patula Muhl. ex Willd. var. patula N
rough-leaved goldenrod. CT, MA, NH, VT; western MA and VT, disjunct in Carroll County, NH. Swamps, riparian forests.