Putnam Park Wildflowers


Flower ID: IMG_2897.JPG-08-22-2019
Flower name (scientific): Solidago rigida Linnaeus PY: 1753. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) so-li-DAY-go (or sol-id-A-go) RIG-ih-duh (or RI-ji-da or RIJ-ih-dah)
Flower name (common): Stiff 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: Latin for stiff or inflexible.
Common name origin: The leaves of this plant start with a soft feel and then turn stiff later in the season, and goldenrod from the close similarity with other members of the goldenrod group of plants.
Flower description:
     Size: 0.2 to 0.4 inches (5 to 10 mm)
     Petal count: 6
     Color: yellow
     Other: flower arrangement, Cluster-flat
Plant description:
     Size: 12 to 60 inches (30 to 152 cm)
     Stem hairy:
     Other:
Leaf description: attachment is basal and alternate, type is simple
     Size: Basal leaves up to 20 cm long and 5 cm wide. Mid to distal cauline leaves up to 5 cm long and 1.7 cm wide.
     Color:
     Hairy:
     Other: Shape: leaf, (basal and proximal cauline) ovate to rhombic, (mid to distal cauline) ovate (FNA)
Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native
Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common
Bloom time (typical): July to October
Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Perennial
Habitat: Prairies, forest openings, fields, woods, roadsides, sun, dry to moist.
Fruit:
Seed:
Importance to wildlife:
Similar species (if any): Some Solidago species are similar. Solidago mollis (Velvety Goldenrod) is similar, however there are just two reports of this species in the FW database, and Wisconsin represents the most western tip of its distribution in North America. Solidago mollis has 3 to 8 disc florets with upper stem leaves not clasping, whereas Solidago rigida has 14 to 35 disc florets and clasping stem leaves. Both Solidago petiolaris (Downy Goldenrod, Downy Ragged Goldenrod) and Solidago buckleyi (Buckley's Goldenrod) have similar features. However, Solidago petiolaris is a more southern species, not reported from Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and the Dokatos, but reported in Illinois, Missouri and further south, while Solidago buckleyi has a southern distribution that is somewhat limited, being reported in five states including Illinois and Missouri, but not reported in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan.
Ethnobotany: The Meskwaki employed the flowers to make a lotion to treat bee stings and swollen fauces. They aslo prepared a berverage from the leaves (Smith, pp. 217-218, 1928).
Latitude: 44.795595
Longitude: -91.513412
Altitude: 263.70
Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Calumet, Chippewa, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Iron, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Marathon, Marquette, Milwaukee, Monroe, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Racine, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Sawyer, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Walworth, Washburn, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago, Wood) Click here for distribution map
In US: (AL, AR, CO, CT, DC, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, WI, WV, WY) Click here for distribution map
In Canada: (AB, MB, ON, SK) Click here for distribution map
References: Global Compositae Database. Accessed at http://www.compositae.org on 2021-11-30.
Synonym(s):
Basionym:
Homotypic Synonym(s):
Heterotypic Synonym(s):
Autonym(s):
Wetland Status (NC): FACU
Wetland Status (MW): FACU