Putnam Park Wildflowers


Flower ID: IMG_1421.JPG-07-29-2017
Flower name (scientific): Solidago canadensis Linnaeus PY: 1753. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) so-li-DAY-go (or sol-id-A-go) kan-ah-DEN-sis
Flower name (common): Canada Goldenrod
Family name (common): Aster
Family name (scientific): Asteraceae
Scientific name origin:
     Genus: From the Latin solido, to make whole or heal, to strengthen, referring to the assumed medicinal properties of the plant. A name used by Otto Brunfels (1488/89 – 1534) for its use as a medicine.
    Specific epithet: Of or related to Canada.
Common name origin: Habitat for the type specimen. From the Latin virga for rod and aurea for golden, hence goldenrod, so named for the bright yellow flowers.
Flower description:
     Size: 0.1 to 0.3 inches (0.3 to 0.8 cm)
     Petal count: 8, ray florets typically 8 to 14 with extremes of 5 and up to 18, disc florets 2 to 8.
     Color: yellow
     Other: flower arrangement, Panicle
Plant description: Erect
     Size: 12 to 84 inches (30 to 213 cm)
     Stem hairy:
     Other:
Leaf description: attachment is alternate, type is simple
     Size: Leaves up to 19 cm long and up to 3 cm wide.
     Color:
     Hairy:
     Other: Shape: leaf, narrowly ovate-lanceolate (FNA)
Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native
Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common
Bloom time (typical): July to October
Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Perennial
Habitat: Forests, open woods, thickets, fields, prairies, savannas, disturbed areas, roadsides, sun or semi-shade, dry to moist.
Fruit:
Seed:
Importance to wildlife: Click for pollinator information on this flower.
Similar species (if any): S. gigantea (Giant Goldenrod) and S. altissima (Tall Goldenrod) are similar to S. canadensis. Galls are common on S. altissima and S. gigantea, but very infrequent on S. canadensis. S. altissima has hairy stems, leaves with rough surfaces, and has involucres (floral bracts) 2.5 to 4.5 mm, S. gigantea has essentially hairless stems, leaves with smooth surfaces, and has involucres (2-)2.5 to 4(-5) mm, whereas S. canadensis has the upper stem section hairy and the lower stem sparsely hairy to glabrous, upper leaf surfaces smooth to slightly rough, and has involucres 1.7 to 2.5(-3) mm. S. altissima is considered by some authorities to be a variety of S. canadensis, but is currently treated by the FNA as a separate species.
Ethnobotany: The Meskwaki employed the cooked plant as a psychological remedy (Smith, p. 217, 1928). The Potawatomi prepared a tea from the flowers and used it to treat fevers (Smith, p. 49, 1933). Several other tribes including the Iroquois, Okanagan, Shuswap, and Thompson used this plant to treat a variety of ailments including emetic, antidiarrhea, fevers, and others (Moerman, p. 536, 1998).
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Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Calumet, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Florence, Fond du Lac, Forest, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Iron, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Price, Racine, Richland, Rock, Rusk, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Vilas, Walworth, Washburn, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago, Wood) Click here for distribution map
In US: (AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY) Click here for distribution map
In Canada: (AB, BC, LB, MB, NB, NF, NS, NT, ON, PE, QC, SK, YT) Click here for distribution map
References:
Synonym(s):
Basionym: na
Homotypic Synonym(s):
Heterotypic Synonym(s):
Autonym: Solidago canadensis var. canadensis (The other infraspecifics are Solidago canadensis var. hargeri Fernald, Solidago canadensis var. scabra (Muhlenberg ex Willdenow) Torrey & A. Gray which both occur widely in the US.)
Wetland Status (NC): FACU
Wetland Status (MW): FACU