Solidago nipponica

Japanese Goldenrod

Solidago nipponica Semple is native to central and northern Japan.  This is a new name created to replace Solidago mirabilis Kitamura (1934), predated by Solidago mirabilis Small (1933).  Uncommon in northwestern Honshu Is. and Hokkaido Is. in Japan. Solidago nipponica has petiolate basal and lower stem leaves that have ovate to lanceolate blades that are truncate.  Heads are generally arranged in more flat-topped corymbiform arrays than other species of the S. virgaurea complex across Eurasia. The species is more common and more widely distributed on Hokkaido than the rare serpentine endemic S. horieana, which has lower leaf blades that taper into the petioles.

Recent examination of the type of Solidago kurilensis Juzepczuk from Shikotan-to Is. (Sikotan Is., Russia) just E of Hokkaido Is. indicates that S. nipponica may be a synonym of that species.  Further work is needed to confirm this hypothesis.  Ongoing unpublished multivariate analyses support this hypothesis.

Yuzu Sakata is thanked for providing digital images of wild plants.