Euthamia graminifolia (L.) Nutt. Flat-top goldentop, lance-leaved goldenrod, grass-leaved goldenrod, flat-topped goldentop
Flat-top goldentop, or lance-leaved goldenrod, is a North American native. It has become naturalized in Europe and Asia. It is not a true goldenrod, though it is often classified as such, hence the name "goldentop" is now preferred. For a comparison table of goldenrods and similar species, see Solidago. Identification: These plants are 1-4′ (30-121 cm) tall, often branched only slightly, sometimes heavily-branched and bushy. Stems typically have rows of fine white hairs. Lance-shaped leaves contain 3 veins running along the length of the vein. Sometimes there is 1 or 5 veins, depending on leaf size. Leaves are 3-6″ (7.6-15 cm) × ⅛-⅝″ (3.2-15 mm), resembling grass blades, and attached directly to the stem ("sessile"). Leaves have resinous dots. Large, flat-topped or umbrella-shaped yellow flower clusters appear atop each stem. Each flower in the flowerhead is only ⅛″ (3.2 mm) across. Flowerheads tend to bloom gradually, not all at once, emitting a modest, sweet scent. (A similar species, Euthamia gymnospermoides or plains grass-leaved goldenrod, has only a single major vein in even the largest leaves, and hairless stems. Each flower consists of 12-20 tiny florets, vs. 21-35 in lance-leaved goldenrod.) Some Euthamias are listed below. This genus is in taxonomic flux, so the names are likely to change: |
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Euthamia caroliniana |
You are here Euthamia graminifolia |
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Common Name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Plant | 10-39″ (25-100 cm) in height. | 1-4′ (30-121 cm) tall, often branched only slightly, sometimes heavily-branched and bushy. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Flowers | Flowerheads are flat-topped or rounded, often multiply layered, with tiny yellow flowers, blooming from Aug-Dec. | Large, flat-topped or umbrella-shaped yellow flower clusters. Each flower in the flowerhead is ⅛″ (3.2 mm) across. Flowerheads tend to bloom gradually, not all at once, emitting a modest, sweet scent. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leaves | Linear, like grass blades, abundant, typically bent downward or backward (deflexed). ⅞-2½″ (2.4-7 cm) long and 1/32-⅛″ (1-3 mm) wide, (up to ⅛″ (6 mm)) and smooth. Leaves have resinous dots. | Lance-shaped leaves contain 3 veins running along the length of the vein. Sometimes there is 1 or 5 veins, depending on leaf size. Leaves are 3-6″ (7.6-15 cm) × ⅛-⅝″ (3.2-15 mm), resembling grass blades, and attached directly to the stem ("sessile"). Leaves have resinous dots. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stem | Stems are branched partway up, smooth, without a waxy bluish coating (technically, glabrous or glabrate, not glaucous). | Stems typically have rows of fine white hairs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Range/ Zones | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Type | Wild | Wild |
Online References:
Vascular Plants of the Gila Wilderness
Flora Pittsburghensis: Wild Flowers of Pittsburgh
The Connecticut Botanical Society's Connecticut wildflowers site
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
References:
Clemants, Steven; Gracie, Carol, Wildflowers in the Field and Forest, Oxford University Press, 2006, p, 158
Euthamia graminifolia description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 26 Jul 2023.
Range: