Solidago fallax var. molina

Hairy-stemmed Big-toothed Canada Goldenrod

Solidago fallax var. molina (Fernald) Semple was included in S. lepida ssp. fallax in FNA (Semple & Cook 2006 FNA).  It is the more hairy race of the S. fallax in eastern Canada.  Semple et al. (2013) presented statisical support for recognizing the the species S. fallax separate from S. lepida. In pure form, var. molina is very distinct from var. fallax, but intermediates occur and the two might be lumped together as a single race highly variable in stem and leaf pubescence.  Lower stems are only sparsely hairy to glabrate. The range extends from the Maritimes across Canada to northern Ontario.  A collection from northern Minnesota was seen recently that was thought to belong in var. molina, but is more likely a more hairy member of S. lepida var. lepida as it occurs in northern Ontario.  Diploids and tetraploids occur in var. molina. It could be confused with S. altissima var. altissima, which is hexaploid in the northern part of its range that comes in contact with the range of S. fallax.