Solidago pulverulenta

Solidago pulverulenta Nutt. has been treated as S. puberula ssp. pulverulenta (Nutt.) Semple (Semple & Cook 2006 FNA) and as S. puberula var. pulverulenta (Nutt.) Chapm., but treated as a species here based on results presented in two multivariate studies of S. subsect. Squarrosae ( as broadly treated by Semple et al. 2017) and the S. puberula-S.pulverulenta complex (Semple et al. 2020).  Solidago pulverulenta has (20–)50–110+ stem leaves with the mid stem leaves 10–40 mm long, and upper leaves much reduced compared to S. puberula which has leaves 20–50(–60), mid cauline usually 40–50 mm long, upper leaves somewhat reduced. The species has slightly shorter involucres on average than S. puberula and the phyllaries are sometimes less attenuate and sometimes slightly broader.  Stems of S. pulverulenta tend to be taller than those of S. puberula, but very short individuals occur in both species. The range of distribution of S. pulverulenta is nearly allopatric on the coastal plain from Maryland to Florida and is illustrated on the map including S. puberula.  The species is diploid (2n=18).

Semple, J.C., L. Tong, and Y.A. Chong.  2017.  Multivariate studies of Solidago subsect. Squarrosae. I. The Solidago speciosa complex (Asteraceae: Astereae).  Phytoneuron 2017-18: 1–23.

Semple, J.C., Lan Tong, Y.J. Chong, and J. van de Graaf. 2020. A multivariate analysis of Solidago subsect. Squarrosae. IV. the S. puberula-S. pulverulenta complex. Phytoneuron 2020-70. 1-22.

Last revised 19 May 2025 by J.C. Semple     

© 2025 J.C. Semple, including all photographs unless otherwise indicated