01.
A Bit of Botany
a little botanical information about goldenrod
description
Goldenrod is a member of the Asteraceae family and is an upright,
clump-forming perennial that typically grows to 3' tall. Its yellow flowers
bloom from July to September. Solidago species are perennials growing from
woody caudices or rhizomes. Their stems can be decumbent to ascending or
erect, ranging in height from 5 to 100 or more cm. Some species have stems
that branch near the top. The basal leaves in some species remain persistent
through flowering, while in others the basal leaves are shed before
flowering. The leaf margins are often serrated, and leaf faces may be
hairless or densely hairy; the distal leaves are sometimes three-nerved, and
hairless or sparsely to densely hairy. In some species, the upper leaves are
stipitate-glandular or sometimes resinous. The flowering heads usually
radiate with up to 1500+ florets in racemiform (club-shaped or pyramidal),
paniculiform, or corymbo-paniculiform, or sometimes secund arrays. The
corollas are yellow or rarely white and are usually hairless. The fruits are
narrowly obconic to cylindrical in shape, and they are sometimes somewhat
compressed. The cypselae have eight to 10 ribs usually and are hairless or
moderately covered with stiff, slender bristles. The pappi are very big with
barbellate bristles.
common names & nomenclature
The generic name Solidago comes from solidare, or one that 'makes whole.'
Also known as:
Woundwort, European goldenrod, Aaron’s rod, Verge d'Or, Solidago, Goldruthe