Solidago nemoralis

           
Showy Goldenrod

Mid-Lower Stem Leaf Bottom Close-Up

Highway #10 and East Saltcoats Grid
12-August-2006

The hairs on the leaf surface are hard to observe even with a good hand lens.  They cannot really be seen in this photo, except on the margin. However, the leaves do feel rough to the touch.

bullet

Nemoralis: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF)  and Flora of Alberta (FOA) leading to this species. 
bullet

plants mostly 1-4 dm tall (FOA)

bullet

plants generally taller than 0.5-2.0 (3.0) dm tall (FOA)

bullet

stems mostly pubescent or puberulent; NOT [stems mostly glabrous below the inflorescence] (FOA)

bullet

basal leaves often forming a rosette

bullet

petiole of basal leaves NOT conspicuously ciliate

bullet

basal leaves much longer than stem leaves

bullet

lower stem-leaves well developed, oblanceolate

bullet

stem-leaves linear to linear lanceolate, sparse, often distant, reduced upwards

bullet

leaves minutely gray pubescent (BF)

bullet

heads not corymbose, usually racemose, the inflorescence cylindrical to narrowly oval, or paniculate, with spreading or arching branches; NOT [heads corymbose, the inflorescence rounded or flat-topped] (FOA)

bullet

inflorescence a panicle with more or less spreading or arching branches; NOT [inflorescence racemose, with branches ascending along the stem]; NOT [inflorescence corymbose, with the branches slanting upward, forming a rounded or flat-topped inflorescence] (BF)

bullet

heads often second on the branches

 

bullet

Solidago: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus.
bullet

plants with fibrous roots; NOT with a taproot

bullet

juice watery; NOT milky

bullet

leaves alternate or basal; NOT opposite

bullet

leaves simple; NOT pinnatifid, NOT divided

bullet

leaves never spinescent

bullet

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

bullet

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

bullet

involucral bracts well imbricated; NOT scarcely imbricated

bullet

receptacle naked

bullet

flower heads with both tubular and ray florets

bullet

ligulate flowers pistillate or neuter; NOT perfect

bullet

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

bullet

stamens united to form a tube around the pistil

bullet

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

bullet

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]