stiff goldenrod

(Solidago rigida ssp. humilis)

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List

not listed

NatureServe

N4N5 - Apparently Secure to Secure

SNR - Unranked

Minnesota

not listed

 

 

No Image Available

 

Description

Stiff goldenrod (ssp.humilis) is a 10 to 27 tall, erect, perennial forb that rises on 1 to 10 stems from a short, branched, woody caudex.

The stems are erect or ascending, stout, and unbranched below the inflorescence. They are rough to the touch due to a moderate to dense covering of short, stiff, curved hairs, even near the base. At the base of the stem is a rosette of basal leaves which is usually present when the plant is in flower. There may be additional rosettes of leaves adjacent to the stem.

Basal leaves are small, egg-shaped, inversely egg-shaped, or oblong-elliptic, up to 4¾ long, and up to 2 wide, 3 to 6 times as long as wide. They are firm and flat. They stand somewhat erect on leaf stalks that are often as long or longer than the blade. The upper and lower surfaces are somewhat rough to the touch due to a moderate to dense covering of short, fine, curved hairs. On the underside there is a single, prominent midvein. The margins are untoothed or may have fine, rounded teeth. Lower stem leaves are similar but smaller and on shorter leaf stalks.

Middle stem leaves are stalkless, thick, fleshy, rigid, egg-shaped, 1¼ to 2 long, about wide, and otherwise similar to the basal leaves. They become progressively smaller as they ascend the stem. The margins of at least the upper stem leaves are untoothed.

The inflorescence is is a tightly clumped, usually rounded, corymb-like array of 9 to 190 flower heads at the end of the stem. It is usually 1¼ to 8 long and 2½ to 7 wide, but it can be larger.

The tiny flower heads are large relative to other goldenrods, the disk 3 16 to wide. They have 6 to 14, usually 7 to 10, yellow ray florets and 14 to 35, usually 20 to 30, yellow disk florets.

The fruit is an achene with some short, loose hairs near the tip.

 

Height

10 to 27

 

Flower Color

Yellow ray florets, yellow disk florets

 

Similar Species

Stiff goldenrod (Solidago rigida ssp. rigida) is a larger plant, 24 to 60 in height. The basal leaves are larger, up to 10 long by 4 wide. The inflorescence is loose, open, spreading, flat-topped, and larger, up to 8 long and 7 wide. The achene has no hairs near the tip.

Habitat

Dry to moderate moisture. Tall-grass and mixed-grass prairies, open woods, roadsides, disturbed sites, open fields. Full sun to partial shade. Sandy or loamy soil.

Ecology

Flowering

August to October

 

Pests and Diseases

 

Use

 

Distribution

Distribution Map

 

Sources

4, 7, 29, 30.

3/20/2024    
     

Nativity

Native

     

Occurrence

 

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Plantae (green algae and land plants)

Subkingdom

Viridiplantae (green plants)

Infrakingdom

Streptophyta (land plants and green algae)

Superdivision

Embryophyta (land plants)

Division

Tracheophyta (vascular plants)

Subdivision

Spermatophytina (seed plants)

Class

Magnoliopsida (flowering plants)

Superorder

Asteranae

Order

Asterales (sunflowers, bellflowers, fanflowers, and allies)

Family

Asteraceae (sunflowers, daisies, asters, and allies)

Subfamily

Asteroideae

Supertribe

Asterodae

Tribe

Astereae (asters and allies)

Genus

Solidago (goldenrod)

Section

Ptarmicoidei

Species

Solidago rigida (stiff goldenrod)

   

Some taxonomist separate the seven flat-topped goldenrod species in the Solidago section Ptarmicoidei as a separate genus Oligoneuron. The Global Compositae Database lists stiff goldenrod as Oligoneuron rigidum, with Solidago rigida a synonym. The Global Compositae Checklist lists it as Solidago rigida, with Oligoneuron rigidum a synonym. USDA PLANTS lists it as Oligoneuron rigidum. Almost all other sources list it as Solidago rigida.

   

Subordinate Taxa

 
   

Synonyms

Oligoneuron bombycinum

Oligoneuron canescens

Oligoneuron corymbosum var. humile

Oligoneuron jacksonii ssp. humilis

Oligoneuron oligoneuron var. humilis

Oligoneuron rigidum var. humile

Oligoneuron rigidum var. humilis

Solidago bombycina

Solidago canescens

Solidago jacksonii var. humilis

Solidago parvirigida

Solidago rigida var. canescens

Solidago rigida var. humilis

   

Common Names

common stiff goldenrod

hardleaf goldenrod

stiff goldenrod

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Achene

A dry, one-chambered, single-seeded fruit, formed from a single carpel, with the seed attached to the membranous outer layer (wall) only by the seed stalk; the wall, formed entirely from the wall of the superior ovary, does not split open at maturity, but relies on decay or predation to release the contents.

 

Caudex

A short, sometimes woody, persistent stem, at or below ground level, from which aerial stems arise each year.

 

Corymb

A flat-topped or convex inflorescence in which the stalked flowers grow upward from various points on the main stem to approximately the same horizontal plane. The outer flowers open first.

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