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 - Euthamia caroliniana
 
Euthamia caroliniana — coastal plain grass-leaved-goldenrod, slender goldentop
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Facts
Coastal plain grass-leaved-goldenrod is found on coastal plain pond shores and wet depressions. It is rather variable in New England. In the Southeast, this plant has become a common weed of low-pH pastures.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), shores of rivers or lakes, wetland margins (edges of wetlands)
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
Characteristics
- Habitat
 - 
                                
                                    
- terrestrial
 - wetlands
 
 
- New England state
 - 
                                
                                    
- Connecticut
 - Maine
 - Massachusetts
 - New Hampshire
 - Rhode Island
 
 
- Leaf type
 - leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
 
- Leaf arrangement
 - alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
 
- Leaf blade edges
 - the edge of the leaf blade has no teeth or lobes
 
- Flower type in flower heads
 - the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
 
- Ray flower color
 - yellow
 
- Tuft or plume on fruit
 - at least a part of the plume is made up of fine bristles
 
- Spines on plant
 - the plant has no spines
 
- Leaf blade length
 - 24–70 mm
 
- Disk flower number
 - 
                                
                                    
- 1-5
 - 11-20
 - 21-50
 - 6-10
 
 
- 
                        
Flowers
- Bases of bract appendages
 - NA
 
- Bract cycle number
 - there are three or more cycles of bracts
 
- Bract outer side hair type
 - the bracts are not hairy on their outer surface
 
- Bract outer side hairs
 - the bracts are not hairy on their outer surfaces
 
- Bract shape
 - 
                                
                                    
- the main bracts are linear (long and very narrow)
 - the main bracts are oblong (roughly rectangular but rounded at the ends)
 
 
- Bract tip shape
 - 
                                
                                    
- the tips of the bracts acute (have a sharp point)
 - the tips of the bracts are obtuse (have a blunt point)
 
 
- Disk flower color
 - yellow
 
- Disk flower lobe number
 - 5
 
- Disk flower number
 - 
                                
                                    
- 1-5
 - 11-20
 - 21-50
 - 6-10
 
 
- Disk flower reproductive parts
 - the disk flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
 
- Flower head number
 - each flowering stem has only one to three flower heads on it
 
- Flower head outer flowers
 - at the outer edge of the flower head, each flower has a single enlarged lobe or strap
 
- Flower head platform
 - the base has no bristles or papery scales
 
- Flower head platform surface
 - NA
 
- Flower head profile
 - the disk is flat or nearly flat across the top
 
- Flower head shape
 - the flower head is shaped like a cone with the point up
 
- Flower type in flower heads
 - the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
 
- Height of flower head base
 - 3–5.3 mm
 
- Inflorescence branching (Solidago)
 - NA
 
- Inflorescence shape
 - the inflorescence is flat-topped in profile
 
- Ovary cross-section
 - the ovary has five or more corners in cross-section
 
- Ovary hair type
 - the ovary has hairs on it, but the hairs have no glands
 
- Ovary hairs
 - the ovary has hairs on it
 
- Ray flower color
 - yellow
 
- Ray flower reproductive parts
 - the ray flowers have carpels or stamens, but not both
 
- Ray flowers
 - 
                                
                                    
- 11-15
 - 16-25
 - 6-10
 
 
- Reproductive system
 - some of the flowers on the plant have only carpels or stamens, while others have both carpels and stamens
 
- Scale tip
 - NA
 
 - 
                        
Fruits or seeds
- Number of pappus parts
 - 11 or more
 
- Seed hair tuft color
 - the pappus hairs are white or off-white
 
- Seed hair tuft details
 - the pappus hairs are hooked or barbed
 
- Seed hair tuft length
 - 3–4 mm
 
- Seed hair tuft tips
 - the pappus hairs are slender
 
- Seed hairs uniform
 - all the pappus hairs are approximately the same length
 
- Seed tuft scale number
 - 0
 
- Seed tuft type
 - the pappus is made of very fine hairs or bristles
 
- Top of disk flower ovary
 - NA
 
- Tuft or plume on fruit
 - at least a part of the plume is made up of fine bristles
 
 - 
                        
Glands or sap
- Bract resin
 - the bracts have resin or resin glands
 
- Leaf blade glands
 - the leaf blades have glandular (translucent) dots or scales
 
- Sap
 - the sap is clear and watery
 
 - 
                        
Growth form
- Growth form
 - the plant has one or more free-standing stems
 
- Plant lifespan
 - the plant is perennial, it shows evidence of previous year's leaves, stems or stem bases
 
- Spines on plant
 - the plant has no spines
 
- Underground organs
 - the plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)
 
 - 
                        
Leaves
- Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)
 - 0 mm
 
- Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)
 - 0 mm
 
- Hairs on underside of leaf blade
 - the underside of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
 
- Hairs on upper side of leaf blade
 - 
                                
                                    
- the upper side of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
 - the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
 
 
- Leaf arrangement
 - alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
 
- Leaf blade base
 - 
                                
                                    
- the leaf has a distinct petiole
 - the leaf has no petiole
 
 
- Leaf blade base shape
 - the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow
 
- Leaf blade bloom
 - the underside of the leaf has no noticeable bloom
 
- Leaf blade edges
 - the edge of the leaf blade has no teeth or lobes
 
- Leaf blade hairs
 - NA
 
- Leaf blade length
 - 24–70 mm
 
- Leaf blade shape
 - 
                                
                                    
- the leaf blade is elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
 - the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
 - the leaf blade is linear (very narrow with more or less parallel sides)
 
 
- Leaf blade surface colors
 - there is no noticeable color variation on the upper surface of the leaf
 
- Leaf blade tip
 - 
                                
                                    
- the tip of the leaf blade is acuminate (tapers to a long, thin point)
 - the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
 - the tip of the leaf blade is obtuse (bluntly pointed)
 
 
- Leaf blade veins
 - 
                                
                                    
- the leaf blade has one main vein running from the base towards the tip
 - the leaf blade has three main veins running from the base towards the tip
 
 
- Leaf blade width
 - 1–6 mm
 
- Leaf disposition
 - the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem
 
- Leaf spines
 - there are no spines on the leaf edges
 
- Leaf stalk
 - 
                                
                                    
- the leaves have leaf stalks
 - the leaves have no leaf stalks, but attach directly to the stem
 
 
- Leaf stalk length
 - 0 mm
 
- Leaf tip extension
 - NA
 
- Leaf tufts in axils
 - there are clusters of smaller leaves growing out of axils
 
- Leaf type
 - leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
 
- Leaflet number
 - 0
 
- Specific leaf type
 - the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets
 
- Teeth per side of leaf blade
 - 0
 
 - 
                        
Place
- Habitat
 - 
                                
                                    
- terrestrial
 - wetlands
 
 
- New England state
 - 
                                
                                    
- Connecticut
 - Maine
 - Massachusetts
 - New Hampshire
 - Rhode Island
 
 
- Specific habitat
 - 
                                
                                    
- edges of wetlands
 - man-made or disturbed habitats
 - shores of rivers or lakes
 
 
 - 
                        
Scent
- Plant odor
 - the plant has a pleasant odor, such as licorice, fruit or resin
 
 - 
                        
Stem, shoot, branch
- Flowering stem cross-section
 - the flowering stem is circular, or with lots of small angles
 
- Leaves on stem
 - there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
 
- Stem bloom
 - there is no powdery or waxy film on the stem
 
- Stem internode hair direction
 - NA
 
- Stem internode hair length
 - 0 mm
 
- Stem internode hair type
 - the stem has no hairs between the nodes
 
- Stem internode hairs
 - 
                                
                                    
- the stem has hairs between the nodes
 - the stem has no hairs between the nodes
 
 
- Stem wings
 - the stem does not have wings on it
 
 
Wetland status
Occurs in wetlands or non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FAC)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
 - present
 
- Maine
 - present
 
- Massachusetts
 - present
 
- New Hampshire
 - present
 
- Rhode Island
 - present
 
- Vermont
 - present
 
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- New Hampshire
 - rare (S-rank: S2), threatened (code: T)
 
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
1. Euthamia caroliniana (L.) Greene ex Porter & Britt. N
coastal plain grass-leaved-goldenrod. Euthamia galetorum Greene; E. microcephala Greene; E. microphylla Greene; E. remota Greene; Solidago tenuifolia Pursh; S. tenuifolia Pursh var. pycnocephala Fern. • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI; also reported from VT by Seymour (1982), but specimens are unknown. Coastal plain pond shores, peaty depressions, wet borrow pits.
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Euthamia graminifolia:
 - leaf blades mostly 3-12 mm wide, with few and inconspicuous resin glands (vs. E. caroliniana, with leaf blades mostly 1-3 mm wide, with numerous and prominent resin glands).
 
Synonyms
- Euthamia galetorum Greene
 - Euthamia microcephala Greene
 - Euthamia microphylla Greene
 - Euthamia remota Greene
 - Solidago tenuifolia Pursh
 - Solidago tenuifolia Pursh var. pycnocephala Fern.