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- Solidago latissimifolia
Solidago latissimifolia — Elliott's goldenrod
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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.
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Facts
Elliott's goldenrod inhabits swamps, thickets and meadows on the coastal plain of southeastern New England.
Habitat
Forest edges, meadows and fields, shrublands or thickets, woodlands
Characteristics
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- 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
- the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant (basal)
- Leaf blade edges
-
- the edge of the leaf blade has no teeth or lobes
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
- 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
- 60–150 mm
- Disk flower number
-
- 1-5
- 6-10
-
Flowers
- Bases of bract appendages
- NA
- Bract cycle number
- there are three or more cycles of bracts
- Bract margins
- there are fine hairs along the bract margins
- 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 lanceolate (widest above the base, then taper narrowly towards the tip)
- the main bracts are linear (long and very narrow)
- the main bracts are ovate (egg-shaped)
- Bract spines
- the bracts have no spines
- Bract tip orientation
- the bracts are pressed against the plant, or spreading out at the tips
- Bract tip shape
-
- the tips of the bracts are obtuse (have a blunt point)
- the tips of the bracts are rounded
- Bract width
- 0.7–1.2
- Bracts
- the bracts in separate cycles are similar or gradually changing from the outer to inner cycles
- Disk flower color
- yellow
- Disk flower lobe number
- 5
- Disk flower number
-
- 1-5
- 6-10
- Disk flower reproductive parts
- the disk flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
- Disk flower shape
- the disk flower is abruptly widened at some point below the lobes
- Flower head number
- each flowering stem has four or more 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 position
- some or all the flower heads are grouped in clusters of two or more
- Flower head profile
-
- the disk is flat or nearly flat across the top
- the disk is rounded across the top
- Flower head shape
- the sides of the flower head are roughly parallel, like a cylinder
- 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
- 4–6 mm
- Inflorescence branching (Solidago)
- the flower heads tend to be all on one side of the stem; the tips of the flowering stems are arched or curved downwards
- Inflorescence shape
- the inflorescence is not flat-topped but appears rounded, with some flower heads distinctly higher than others
- Inflorescence stem
-
- hairs are present on the stem of the inflorescence
- the stem of the inflorescence is not hairy
- Number of bracts at flower head base
- 10–35
- Ovary cross-section
-
- the ovary has five or more corners in cross-section
- the ovary is compressed (flattened)
- Ovary hair type
- the ovary has hairs on it, but the hairs have no glands
- Ovary hairs
- the ovary has hairs on it
- Ovary lines or ribs
-
- there are seven to nine ribs visible on the ovary
- there are ten or more ribs visible on the ovary
- Ovary profile
-
- in profile, the ovary is another shape
- in profile, the ovary is lance-shaped, but widest above the middle
- Peduncle hairs
- the peduncles are hairy
- Peduncle length
- 4–10 mm
- Ray flower color
- yellow
- Ray flower reproductive parts
- the ray flowers have carpels or stamens, but not both
- Ray flowers
-
- 11-15
- 6-10
- Ray length
- 2–3 mm
- Reproductive system
- some of the flowers on the plant have only carpels or stamens, while others have both carpels and stamens
- Scale tip
- NA
- Smaller bracts at base of bracts
- there is a cycle of much smaller bracts outside the cycle of larger and longer bracts
- Style branch number
- the style has two branches
- Style branches
- the style branch is narrow at the tip, or the style branches are narrow at the tips
- Width of flower head base
- 2–3 mm
-
Fruits or seeds
- Ovary length in developed fruit
- 1.5 mm
- 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
- 3.5–5 mm
- Seed hair tuft tips
-
- at least some of the pappus hairs are broader at their tips than their bases
- the pappus hairs are slender
- Seed tuft scale number
- At least 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
- 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 caudex (the root mass is firm and hardened at the top)
- 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
- Leaf arrangement
-
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant (basal)
- Leaf blade base
- the leaf has no petiole
- Leaf blade base shape
-
- NA
- the base of the leaf blade is rounded
- Leaf blade edges
-
- the edge of the leaf blade has no teeth or lobes
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
- Leaf blade hairs
- NA
- Leaf blade length
- 60–150 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)
- 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)
- Leaf blade veins
- the leaf blade has one main vein running from the base towards the tip
- Leaf blade width
- 15–35 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 no leaf stalks, but attach directly to the stem
- Leaf tip extension
- NA
- Leaf tufts in axils
- there are no clusters of smaller leaves
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Specific leaf type
- the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets
-
Place
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
- Specific habitat
-
- edges of forests
- meadows or fields
- shrublands or thickets
- woodlands
-
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 internode hair direction
- NA
- Stem internode hair type
-
- the hairs on the stem are plain, without glands or branches, and not tangled
- 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
Wetland status
Occurs only in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: OBL)
New England distribution and conservation status
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- absent
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- absent
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- absent
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Connecticut
- unrankable (S-rank: SU), special concern (code: SC)
- Massachusetts
- unranked (S-rank: SNR)
- Rhode Island
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), state threatened (code: ST)
Native to North America?
Sometimes confused with
Family
Genus
From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae
12. Solidago latissimifolia P. Mill. N
Elliott’s goldenrod. Solidago elliottii Torr. & Gray; S. elliottii Torr. & Gray var. ascendens Fern.; S. elliottii Torr. & Gray var. pedicellata Fern. • CT, MA, RI. Swamps, thickets, and meadows on the coastal plain. Long known by the name Solidago elliottii in New England literature, the name S. latissimifolia pre-dates it by 73 years (1768 vs. 1841).