Solidago sphacelata

False or Autumn Goldenrod

Solidago sphacelata Raf. is easily recognized by its very short pappus bristles and petiolate, cordate rosette and basal stem leaves (Semple & Cook 2006 FNA).  The common name "false goldenrod" comes from the erroneous assignment of the species to the segregate genus Brachychaeta Torr. & A. Gray rather than to Solidago, where it belongs. Semple and Beck (2021) placed S. sphacelata in S. subsect. Brachychaeta (Torr. & A. Gray) Semple & J.B. Beck in S. sect. Argutae (Mackenzie) Semple & J.B. Beck based on unpublished DNA sequence results. The short pappus is just the extreme case of shorter bristle length (Hood & Semple 2003). The species occurs in open woods and rocky places across the central eastern U.S. The species was included in a multivariate analysis of S. sect. Argutae that includes the S. arguta complex and the S. patula complex; S. sphacelata was strongly supported as distinct from other species in the section (Semple et al. 2021). The species is diploid 2n=18.

Solidago sphacelata range Semple draft

Semple, J.C. and J.B. Beck. 2021. A revised infrageneric classification of Solidago (Asteraceae: Astereae). Phytoneuron 2021-10. 1-6.

Semple, J.C., K. Nizamani, K. Kornobis, G. Samra, L. Tong and T. Stavroullakis. 2021. A multivariate study of Solidago sect. Argutae (Asteraceae: Astereae).  Phytoneuron 2021-20: 1–56.

Last update 20 April 2021 by J.C. Semple     

© 2021 J.C. Semple, including all photographs unless otherwise indicated.