Basal leaves sometimes present in rosettes at flowering, proximalmost cauline petiolate, usually withering by flowering, not 3-nerved. Heads in axillary clusters or in terminal thyrsiform arrays, not nodding or secund. Phyllaries sometimes striate, not stipitate-glandular. Pappus bristles usually in 2 series (inner bristles usually moderately clavate).

Distribution

e North America (shaded woods and thickets), e North America (eastern deciduous forests)

Discussion

Species 8 (8 in the flora).

Selected References

Cook, R. E. 2002. A Biosystematic Study of Solidago Subsect. Glomeruliflorae Torr. & Gray. (Asteraceae: Astereae) in Eastern North America. Ph.D. dissertation. University of Waterloo.

Lower Taxa

Solidago albopilosa, Solidago caesia, Solidago curtisii, Solidago flexicaulis, Solidago glomerata, Solidago lancifolia, Solidago macrophylla, Solidago ouachitensis

Key

1	Stems and leaf faces densely hairy, leaves spatulate to broadly ovate into arrays (rock houses, Kentucky)	Solidago albopilosa
1	Stems and leaf faces glabrous or moderately hairy, distal leaves narrowly lanceolate or narrowly elliptic	> 2
2	Involucres 8–13 mm; ray florets 5+ or more	> 3
2	Involucres (6.5–)7–8 mm; ray florets 5 or fewer	> 5
3	Phyllaries attenuate, subequal, 1-nerved; n Quebec and Labrador to n Ontario, s to Catskill Mountains, New York	Solidago macrophylla
3	Phyllaries acute to blunt, unequal, 3–10-nerved (at least inner); high elevation s Appalachian Mountains, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia	> 4
4	Leaves not fleshy; inner and outer phyllaries 3–10-nerved; flowering late August–early September; mid to high elevations, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia	Solidago lancifolia
4	Leaves fleshy and rubbery when fresh; inner phyllaries often 3-nerved, outer phyllaries 1-nerved; flowering October; high elevations, North Carolina,Tennessee	Solidago glomerata
5	Cypselae glabrous; ray floret 1; Ouachita Mountains, along border of Arkansas andOklahoma	Solidago ouachitensis
5	Cypselae sparsely to densely hairy; ray florets (1–)2–5; not restricted to Ouachita Mountains	> 6
6	Stems flexuous; proximal mid cauline leaves petiolate, obovate	Solidago flexicaulis
6	Stems straight; leaves sessile, lanceolate to elliptic	> 7
7	Stems arching, glaucous, strongly anthocyanic; heads secund; proximal to midleaves lanceolate, 50–150 × 8–30 mm	Solidago caesia
7	Stems erect, not glaucous, weakly or not anthocyanic; heads not secund; proximal to mid leaves broadly lanceolate to elliptic, 36–180 × 10–60 mm	Solidago curtisii