Solidago patula
Sp. Pl. 3: 2059. 1803.
Plants 50–150 cm; caudices short, rhizomes creeping, elongate, thin to thick. Stems 1–3+, erect (angular in cross section, sometimes winged on angles), glabrous or sparsely hairy in arrays. Leaves: basal and proximal cauline abruptly narrowed to long, winged petioles, blades broadly ovate, 100–300 × 40–100 mm, relatively thick, margins serrate, apices acute, abaxially glabrous, adaxially scabrous; distal cauline sessile, blades lanceolate, 50–80 × 15–20 mm, gradually reduced distally, subentire. Heads 25–200, secund, in open, lax, secund, pyramidal, paniculiform arrays, branches ascending to recurved, often elongate with recurved ends. Peduncles 1–4 mm, sparsely hispido-strigose, bracteoles 2–5, lanceolate, grading into phyllaries distally. Involucres 3–4.5 mm. Phyllaries (10–12) in 3–4 series, ovate to linear-ovate, unequal, obtuse. Ray florets 5–12; laminae 1.5–1.7 × 0.5 mm. Disc florets 5–15; corollas 2.8–3 mm, lobes 0.6–1.5 mm. Cypselae (sometimes mottled) 1.5–2 mm, strigillose; pappi 2–3 mm.
Distribution
Ala., Ark., Conn., Del., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Ky., La., Mass., Md., Mich., Miss., Mo., N.C., N.H., N.J., N.Y., Ohio, Okla., Pa., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va., Vt., W.Va., Wis.
Discussion
Subspecies 2 (2 in the flora).
Solidago patula is readily recognized by the angled stem and the sharkskin-like texture of the adaxial surface of the leaves.
Selected References
None.
Key
| 1 | Plants relatively robust, proximal leaves large, 80–300 × 40–100 mm, sharply serrate; distal leaves relatively few, gradually reduced distally, serrate; n and s in mountains, to Alabama, Mississippi,Georgia | Solidago patula subsp. patula |
| 1 | Plants more slender and small-leaved, proximal leaves narrower, 50–60 mm wide; distal leaves numerous, much reduced to bracts in array, usually finely serrate to entire; mostly coastal plain and adjacent piedmont | Solidago patula subsp. strictula |