Solidago spithamaea

M. A. Curtis ex A. Gray

Amer. J. Sci. Arts 42: 42. 1842.

Common names: Skunk or Blue Ridge goldenrod
EndemicConservation concern
Synonyms: Aster spithamaeus (M. A. Curtis ex A. Gray) Kuntze
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 20. Treatment on page 111. Mentioned on page 110, 112.

Plants 10–40 cm (with somewhat noxious odor); rhizomes short, stout, or branched caudices. Stems 1–10+, erect (usually simple), rough-puberulent or shortly spreading hirsute, or proximally glabrate. Leaves: basal petioles 1.5–7 mm, blades spatulate to lanceolate or subrhombic, mostly 50–109 × 15–40 mm, bases tapering, glabrous, margins sharply serrate, ciliate, apices acuminate; mid and distal sessile, blades lanceolate to subrhombic, much reduced distally, margins serrulate becoming entire distally, glabrous. Heads 15–50+ in compactly rounded corymbiform arrays, becoming paniculiform in robust plants. Peduncles 1–7, short-strigose; bracts leaflike, 5–15 mm. Involucres campanulate, 5–6 mm. Phyllaries (in 3–4 series) lanceolate, unequal (midnerves swollen), acute to acuminate (tips dark green). Ray florets 8–10(–15); laminae 2–3.5 mm. Disc florets 20–60; corollas 3.5–4.5 mm, lobes 1.5–2 mm. Cypselae 2–3 mm, sparsely strigose to glabrate; pappi (of 12–22 bristles) about 3 mm. 2n = 54.


Phenology: Flowering Sep–Oct.
Habitat: Rock crevices of exposed outcrops
Elevation: 1600–2000 m

Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Solidago spithamaea is listed as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The species is extant at only three locations; all other known populations were extirpated. It is in the Center for Plant Conservation’s National Collection of Endangered Plants.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Solidago spithamaea"
John C. Semple +  and Rachel E. Cook +
M. A. Curtis ex A. Gray +
Skunk or Blue Ridge goldenrod +
N.C. +  and Tenn. +
1600–2000 m +
Rock crevices of exposed outcrops +
Flowering Sep–Oct. +
Amer. J. Sci. Arts +
Endemic +  and Conservation concern +
Aster spithamaeus +
Solidago spithamaea +
Solidago subsect. Multiradiatae +
species +