Minnesota Seasons - showy goldenrod species complex

Overview • Description • Distribution • Taxonomy

Overview

Showy goldenrod species complex is not a taxonomic rank but an informal grouping of four morphologically similar species. Historically, they were treated as four distinct species. Later, they were treated as four varieties of a single species. A recent study (Semple et al. 2017) examined multiple variables of the complex, and the authors proposed restoring each variety to full species rank. The proposal was not widely adopted at first, but it has been steadily gaining acceptance.

Plants in this complex are found in open woodlands, fields, prairies, thickets, and roadsides. They grow under full sun in moderately moist – slightly moist to slightly dry – conditions in sandy, gravelly, or loamy soil. They bloom from late July or early August to early October. As the name suggests, the plant is very showy when in bloom.

Description

In the field, it is easy to identify a plant that belongs to this group. The stems and leaves are hairless below the inflorescence. The stems are finely ridged. They are not shiny, and they are not covered with a whitish waxy bloom (glaucous). The margins of the middle and upper stem leaves are not toothed. The inflorescence is an elongated branched panicle, not pyramidal or nodding. The branches of the inflorescence curve upward, not outward or downward. Each branch of the inflorescence is spike-like with flower heads oriented in several directions.


Distribution
		Sources 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 28, 29, 30.
3/13/2024


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)
Subtribe	Solidagininae
Genus	Solidago (goldenrods)
Subgenus	Solidago
Section	Erectae
Subsection	Erectae

Subordinate Taxa
long-petioled showy goldenrod (Solidago jejunifolia) pale showy goldenrod (Solidago pallida) showy goldenrod (Solidago speciosa) stiff-leaved showy goldenrod (Solidago rigidiuscula)

Synonyms


Common Names
noble goldenrod showy goldenrod

Glossary

Glaucous

Pale green or bluish gray due to a whitish, powdery or waxy film, as on a plum or a grape.


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Other Videos

Dermestid Beetle - September 9, 2013
Don Gagnon

About

Published on Sep 12, 2013

Dermestid Beetle (Cryptorhopalum triste), Covered with Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa) Pollen, Britland Park, a.k.a. Interchange Park, near 17th Street, Fall River, Massachusetts, Monday afternoon, September 9, 2013, 1:00 PM - Canon PowerShot SX50 HS MVI_46406; 1:56 min.

Plants for Pollinators: Goldenrod
UMN Pollinator Protection Course

About

Published on May 8, 2014

This video was created as a group project in HORT 4850 (Pollinator Protection in Managed Landscapes) at the University of Minnesota during spring semester 2014.

Created by Laura Robinson, Thea Evans, and Sally Drew

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