Julia's Goldenrod

Solidago juliae is found on the Edwards Plateau and in Trans-Pecos Texas and adjacent Mexico. G. L. Nesom (1989e) discussed its nomenclatural history and reasons for treating it as a distinct species.

Plants (50–)100–250 cm; rhizomes short. Stems 1–5, densely, evenly villoso-tomentose (hairs white, thin, crisped). Leaves: basal 0; mid and distal cauline lanceolate to narrowly lanceolate, 3-nerved, 50–80(–120) × 5–10(–12) mm, reduced distally to 10–20 mm, margins shallowly crenate or serrate to nearly entire, faces moderately to densely short pilose (hairs somewhat ascending). Heads 80–950, secund, in narrowly pyramidal paniculiform arrays, 3–4 times as long as wide, branches spreading and slightly secund, bracts linear-lanceolate, 3–6 mm. Peduncles moderately to densely villoso-strigillose, rarely sparsely minutely stipitate-glandular; bracteoles 1–2(–4). Involucres narrowly campanulate, 3–4 mm. Phyllaries in 3–4 series, oblong-lanceolate or lanceolate to narrowly elliptic, strongly unequal, margins apically ciliate, glabrous, rarely outer sparsely, minutely stipitate-glandular. Ray florets 7–15; laminae 1–2(–3) × 0.1–0.6 mm. Disc florets 5–9; corollas 2.8–3 mm, lobes 0.4–1.1 mm. Cypselae (narrowly obconic) 1.4–1.6 mm, sparsely strigillose; pappi ca. 3 mm. 2n = 18.

Solidago canadensis Linnaeus var. canescens A. Gray

Solidago juliae, known as Julia's goldenrod, is a plant native to central and western Texas (trans-Pecos and Edwards Plateau regions), as well as southern Arizona, Chihuahua, Coahuila and Nuevo León. It occurs in grasslands, woodlands, and on freshwater shores.

Solidago juliae is a perennial herb sometimes as much as 250 cm (100 inches or 8 1/3 feet) tall. One plant can produce as many as 950 yellowflower heads, borne in a large showy panicle at the top of the plant. Each head contains 9-15 ray florets surrounding 5-9 disc florets.

Species is named for Julia Wells Nesom.