Solidago flaccidifolia Small

Locations ofSolidago flaccidifolia Small in Virginia

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Detail

Family
Asteraceae
Botanical Name
Solidago flaccidifolia Small
Common Name
Mountain Goldenrod, Appalachian Goldenrod
Synonym(s)
Solidago curtisii Torr. & Gray var. flaccidifolia (Small) Cook & Semple
Flora of Virginia Name/Status
Solidago flaccidifolia Small
Comments
A somewhat problematic taxon. Semple & Cook in FNA (2006) treat this as a variety of Solidago curtisii Torr. & Gray, but it is also more-or-less confluent with S. flexicaulis L. by its leaves with a smaller length to width ratio. At least for now, we are treating this taxon as Solidago flaccidifolia, a species of probable hybrid origin. In the field, this taxon most closely resembles S. flexicaulis but lacks that species' zig-zag stem and has leaves that are more gradually narrowed at the base (vs. abruptly contracted in S. flexicaulis).
Habitat
Mesic to dry-mesic, rich, often calcareous forests. Most Virginia records are from low-elevation limestone forests of the southern Ridge and Valley region and mid- to high-elevation forests of the Cumberland Mountains along the Kentucky border. However, the species has also been found recently in rich, bouldery, northern hardwoods at 4600 ft elevation on the Southern Blue Ridge. Infrequent to locally common, far sw. mountains.
Native Status
Native

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