Pine Barren Goldenrod

Solidago fistulosa grows mainly on the coastal plains. It was introduced at Stone Mountain, Georgia. Solidago pyramidata Pursh may be a synonym of S. fistulosa.

Plants 50–150 cm; rhizomes creeping, elongated, sparsely scaly. Stems 1–20+, erect (stout), conspicuously spreading-hirsute, at least distally. Leaves: basal and proximal cauline usually withering by flowering except on new shoots, tapering to broadly winged petioles, blades oblanceolate, 30–50 × 8–15 mm, rapidly increasing in size distally, margins shallowly serrate, scabroso-strigose, faces often more densely hairy than distal; mid to distal cauline numerous, crowded, sessile, blades lanceolate-ovate to elliptic-oblong, larger ones 35–120 × 8–35 mm, much reduced distally, bases broad and ± clasping, margins obscurely serrulate or entire, faces usually moderately hirsuto-villous on midnerves, often less so abaxially, adaxial sparsely strigose or glabrous. Heads 35–500, in paniculiform arrays, usually dense, branches recurved-secund. Peduncles 2–8 mm, sparsely to moderately strigillose; bracteoles 1–3, linear to linear-lanceolate, tending to group proximal to involucres, sometimes grading into phyllaries. Involucres narrowly campanulate, 3.5–5.5 mm. Phyllaries in 4–5 series, unequal, glabrous; outer narrowly ovate-lanceolate, mid and inner linear-lance-olate. Ray florets (2–)4–10; laminae 1.2–2.5 × 0.2–0.5 mm. Disc florets (2–)4–7; corollas 4–5 mm, lobes 0.5–1 mm. Cypselae (narrowly obconic) 1.5–1.8 mm, sparsely strigillose, sometimes only apically; pappi 3–4 mm. 2n = 18.

Aster fistulosus (Miller) Kuntze; Solidago aspericaulis A. H. Moore

Solidago fistulosa, the pine barren goldenrod, is a plant species native to low-lying coastal areas of eastern North America. It grows in every state bordering on the Gulf of Mexico or on the Atlantic Ocean from Louisiana to New Jersey. It is generally found in bogs, along the edges of marshes, in drainage ditches, etc.

Solidago fistulosa is an herb up to 150 cm (5 feet) tall, spreading by underground rhizomes. It has winged petioles, broad leaf blades, and sometimes as many as 500 small yellow flower heads born in large branching arrays.