Gattinger's Goldenrod

A. Cronquist (1980) suggested that Solidago gattingeri possibly occurs in Texas; no specimens were seen from that state.

Plants 50–100 cm; caudices branched. Stems 1–5+, ascending to erect, slender, essentially glabrous; axillary clusters of small leaves present in distal leaf axils. Leaves: basal often withering by flowering, tapering to petiolar bases, blades oblanceolate, largest blades 80–170 × 10–20 mm, margins entire or slightly toothed, ± strongly 3-nerved, apices acute; mid and distal cauline ascending to erect, blades linear-lanceolate, greatly reduced, becoming bractlike in arrays, less prominently or scarcely 3-nerved, glabrous. Heads 35–140, in paniculiform arrays, often about as broad as long, branches recurved-secund, often elongate. Peduncles 1–3(–5) mm; bracts linear-lanceolate, 1–3 mm, glabrous. Involucres campanulate, 3–5 mm. Phyllaries in 3 series, strongly unequal, broadly lanceolate, acute, glabrous. Ray florets 5–8; laminae 1–2 × 0.5–0.75 mm. Disc florets 3–9; corollas 3–4 mm, lobes 0.5–0.75 mm. Cypselae (obconic) 1.5–2 mm, glabrous; pappi 1.5–2 mm. 2n = 18.

Aster gattingeri (Chapman ex A. Gray) Kuntze; Solidago missouriensis Nuttall var. pumila Chapman

Solidago gattingeri, common name Gattinger's goldenrod, is a species of plant that is a goldenrod. It is native only to the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas and Missouri and to the Nashville Basin of Tennessee. Its preferred habitat is cedar glades, cedar barrens, and limestone outcrops. It is adapted to dry habitats.

Solidago gattingeri is a perennial that produces yellow flowers in late summer. One plant can produce as many as 250 small yellow flower heads, some of then in large arrays at the top of the plant, others in smaller clusters on side branches. It is distinguished from the related Solidago juncea by having fewer flowers per head (only 1-5 ray florets and 4-11 disc florets). It is also closely related to Solidago missouriensis but is distinguished by having bract-like upper leaves and shorter rhizomes.