17. Solidago Speciosa Nutt. Showy Or Noble Golden-Rod

Fig. 4229

Solidago speciosa Nutt. Gen. 2: 160. 1818.

Stem stout, glabrous below, often rough above, usually simple, 3°-7° high. Leaves glabrous, firm, the lower and basal ovate, or broadly oval, 4'-10' long, 1-4' wide, dentate or crenate, pinnately veined, acute or obtuse at the apex, long-petioled; upper leaves smaller, oblong or oval, acute at each end, crenate-dentate, or entire, sessile or short-petioled, rough-margined; heads 3"-4" high, in a large terminal thyrsus, the branches of which are ascending and often leafy; bracts of the involucre oblong, very obtuse; achenes glabrous or nearly so.

In rich soil, Massachusetts to North Carolina, west to Minnesota, Tennessee and Arkansas. Apparently erroneously recorded from Canada and Nova Scotia. Aug.-Oct.

18. Solidago Rigidiuscula (T. & G.) Porter. Slender Showy Golden-Rod

Fig. 4230

Solidago speciosa rigidiuscula T. & G. Fl. N. A.

2: 205. 1841. Solidago speciosa pallida Porter, Bull. Torr.

Club 19: 130. 1892. Solidago rigidiuscula Porter, Mem. Torr. Club 5: 319. 1894. S. pallida Rydb. Bull. Torr. Club 33: 153. 1906.

Stem rather slender, usually glabrous below, rough-pubescent above, simple, 2°- 4° high. Leaves lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, entire, or the basal ones sometimes crenate, strongly ciliolate on the margins, 1-5' long, 3"-12" wide, the upper sessile, the lower sometimes narrowed into petioles; heads similar to those of the preceding species; thyrsus generally narrow, dense, simple or branched.

In dry soil, mostly on prairies, Ohio to Alabama, Ontario, Minnesota, Colorado, Louisiana and Texas. Aug.-Oct.

19. Solidago Randii (Porter) Britton. Rand's Golden-Rod

Fig. 4231

Solidago Virgaurea Randii Porter, Bull. Torr. Club 20: 208.

1893. Solidago Virgaurea Redfieldii Porter, Bull. Torr. Club 20:

209. 1893. Solidago Virgaura monlicola Porter, Bull. Torr. Club 20:

209. 1893. Solidago Virgaurea Deanei Porter, Mem. Torr. Club 5: 320.

1894. Solidago Randii Britton, Manual 937. 1901.

Somewhat pubescent, at least above, often glutinous; stem usually simple, rather stout, 5'-2° high. Basal leaves oblanceolate, broadly spatulate, or obovate, 3'-8' long, 1' wide, or less, obtuse or acute, mostly dentate, narrowed into margined petioles; stem leaves few, sessile, or the lower petioled, oblong-lanceolate to spatulate, acute; heads 3-4" high, in a dense or interrupted, rarely branched thyrsus and often in axillary clusters; bracts of the involucre obtuse or acute; achenes more or less pubescent.

In dry, mostly rocky situations, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and northern New York to Michigan and on high mountains in Virginia. Referred, in our first edition, as by previous authors, to the Old World Solidago Virgaurea L. Aug.-Sept.