Mountain or Appalachian Goldenrod
Solidago flaccidifolia Small is the more hairy leaved race of the S. curtisii complex and was treated as S. curtisii var. flaccidifolia (Small) R.E. Cook and Semple in FNA (Semple & Cook 2006 FNA). Cronquist (1980) recognized the taxon as a separate species. The broadest-leaved forms occur in S. flaccidifolia. They can be confused with S. flexicaulis but lack the flexuous distal stem of the latter (Semple & Cook 2006 FNA).
Solidago flaccidifolia includes diploids (2n=18), tetraploids (2n=36), and hexaploids (2n=54). The cytogeography was illustrated in Semple and Cook (2008).
Cook, R.E. and J.C. Semple. 2008. The cytogeography of Solidagosubsect. Glomeruliflorae (Asteraceae: Astereae). Botany 86: 1488-1496.
Cronquist, A. 1980. Vascular flora of the southeastern United States. I. Asteraceae. Chapel Hill: Univ. North Carolina Press.
Last revised 19 May 2025 by J.C. Semple
© 2025 J.C. Semple, including all photographs unless otherwise indicated
1-4. Solidago flaccidifolia. 1. Habit, Semple et al. 3014, Cocke Co., Tennessee. 2. Leaf, abaxial mid vein, Kral 61083 VDB, North Carolina. 3. Inflorescence, Semple 11123, Avery Co., North Carolina. 4. Heads, Semple 11228, Avery Co., North Carolina.