Solidago graminifolia

           
Flat-Topped Goldenrod

Upper Leaf Top
Moose Mountain Provincial Park
21-Aug-2005

 
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Graminifolia: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species.  
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plants generally taller than 0.5-2.0 (3.0) dm tall

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stem and leaves glabrous; leaves NOT gray pubescent, leaves NOT rough

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petiole of the basal leaves (if present) NOT conspicuously ciliate

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leaves finely glandular pubescent

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leaves flat; NOT [commonly folded lengthwise]

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stem leaves sessile or subsessile

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stem leaves all about the same size; NOT [with the upper ones much reduced]

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inflorescence corymbose, with the branches slanting upward, forming a rounded or flat-topped inflorescence;  inflorescence NOT [cylindrical to narrowly oval, or paniculate, with spreading or arching branches], inflorescence NOT a panicle, inflorescence NOT a spike

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inflorescence with 10-50 heads; NOT [mostly with more than 50 heads]

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involucral bracts NOT striate

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ray florets yellow; NOT white, NOT pale yellow

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ray florets usually less than 5 mm long; NOT 5-8 mm long

 
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Solidago: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus.
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plants with fibrous roots; NOT with a taproot

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juice watery; NOT milky

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leaves alternate or basal; NOT opposite

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leaves simple; NOT pinnatifid, NOT divided

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leaves never spinescent

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heads small and numerous, in terminal or axillary clusters; NOT [usually solitary at ends of branches]

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involucral bracts in 2 or more series; NOT [in one series, sometimes with a few much shorter outer ones at the base]

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involucral bracts well imbricated; NOT scarcely imbricated

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receptacle naked

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flower heads with both tubular and ray florets

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ligulate flowers pistillate or neuter; NOT perfect

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ray florets yellow; NOT [pink, blue, purple, or white]

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stamens united to form a tube around the pistil

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pappus composed of hairs; NOT scales, NOT bristles, NOT firm awns, NOT a crown, NOT absent, pappus NOT chaffy

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pappus single, hairs sometimes unequal but not distinctly divided into an inner and outer series of two lengths; NOT [pappus double, hairs of the outer series inconspicuous, distinctly shorter than the inner]