Directory       News       Site Map       Home
    Jepson eFlora
Key to families | Table of families and genera




John C. Semple

Perennial herb from woody caudex or rhizome, branched distally. Leaf: alternate, often sessile, resinous or not. Inflorescence: heads radiate, few to many, in ± flat-topped to panicle-like, often ± 1-sided clusters; involucre cylindric to bell-shaped; phyllaries generally ± graduated in 3–5 series, midrib generally ± swollen, translucent, tip flat or slightly swollen; receptacle slightly convex, honeycombed, ridges uneven, epaleate. Ray flower: few to many; ray yellow. Disk flower: few to many; corolla yellow, generally glabrous; anther tip narrowly triangular; style branches finely papillate, tips triangular. Fruit: obconic, compressed; pappus of 25–45 long-barbed bristles in 1 series.
± 100 species: especially North America (South America, Eurasia). (Greek: make-well, for purported medicinal value) [Semple & Cook 2006 FNANM 20:107–166]

Key to Solidago

1. Mid-cauline leaves largest

2. Peduncle bracts, and/or phyllaries sparsely to moderately minutely stalked-glandular; stem generally glabrous proximally; inflorescence pyramid-shaped, proximal branches not crowded; n High Sierra Nevada, Modoc Plateau ..... S. lepida var. salebrosa

2' Inflorescence not glandular; stem ± hairy to base, not waxy distally; inflorescence pyramid- or club-shaped; widespread

3. Inflorescence ± widely pyramid-shaped; involucre 3–5 mm; leaves weakly serrate; disturbed sites ..... S. altissima subsp. altissima

3' Inflorescence ± club-shaped; involucre 2.5–3.5 mm; leaves generally serrate; ± undisturbed sites ..... S. elongata

1' Proximal cauline or basal leaves largest

4. Inflorescence generally flat- to round-topped; phyllaries long-acuminate, not strongly graduated; leaf generally long-ciliate ..... S. multiradiata

4' Inflorescence generally panicle- or raceme-like, generally ± pyramid- or club-shaped, but not flat- or round-topped; phyllaries obtuse, rounded, acute or acuminate, ± strongly graduated; leaf not long-ciliate

5. Leaves and heads strongly resinous; North Coast, Outer North Coast Ranges, Inner North Coast Ranges, Central Coast, San Francisco Bay Area ..... S. spathulata

5' Leaves and heads not strongly resinous; widespread

6. Herbage sparsely to densely short-hairy; distal nodes without axillary leaf-clusters ..... S. velutina

7. Herbage ± densely short-hairy; outer phyllaries strigose; disk corolla throat obscure ..... subsp. californica

7' Herbage ± sparsely short-hairy; outer phyllaries ± glabrous; disk corolla throat ± obvious ..... subsp. sparsiflora

6' Herbage ± glabrous; distal nodes often with axillary leaf-clusters

8. Phyllaries lanceolate to ± ovate, not inrolled, obtuse to acuminate; rays 6–21; Klamath Ranges, High Cascade Range, n High Sierra Nevada (e slope), Great Basin Floristic Province ..... S. spectabilis

8' Phyllaries very narrowly triangular, inrolled near tip, sharply acute; rays 3–13; Tehachapi Mountain Area, Central Western California, Southwestern California, White and Inyo Mountains, n Desert Mountains

9. Leaves generally < 10 × longer than wide; inflorescence generally club-shaped, panicle-like ..... S. confinis

9' Leaf generally 10+ × longer than wide; inflorescence generally narrow, sometimes spike-like — s Inner South Coast Ranges ..... S. guiradonis

