Solidago missouriensis (Low Goldenrod) - photos and description
15 cm ruler for scale.
Stems glabrous
Basal leaf in above photo
Stem leaf in above photo
Budd's Flora describes lower and middle leaves as distinctly 3-nerved
General: Low plants with simple stems, plants
strongly rhizomatous often found in large colonies. Plants glabrous
except for leaves which are finely ciliate. Stems usually reddish.
We've grown this plant from seed and tried it in our garden, but gave up
on it - way too invasive.
Flowers: Inflorescence is a dense panicle, panicle measured to 9 cm long. Individual flower head measured at 6 mm diameter.
Leaves: Leaves linear-lanceolate, a lower stem leaf highlighted above was 7 cm long and 1 cm wide. Stem leaves alternate, leaves reduced upwards. Lower leaves finely dentate towards the apex. Leaves are finely ciliate.
Height: Height listed in Budd's Flora to 50 cm, we measured plants to 41 cm tall.
Habitat: Dry prairie and hillsides.
Abundance: Common.
Origin: Native.
How to identify this species of Solidago: Rhizomatous, glabrous, leaves reduced upwards from base (Taxonomic Reminder for Recognizing Saskatchewan Plants).
Similar species: This plant could be mistaken for to Solidago nemoralis, however that plant's leaves and stems are gray puberulent, while Solidago missouriensis is hairless except for short hairs on the leaf margins.
When and where photographed: We took the above photos July 15th, sandy prairie, Douglas Provincial Park, 200 km north west of our home in Regina, SK.