Fall is upon us here in New England…and it’s amazing! Gone are the days of sweating profusely out in the field, mosquitoes, and landscapes covered in green vibrant plants and trees. We’ve officially entered the season of Asters, which has been a challenge for our team as we learn and re-learn how to properly identify Solidago species (Goldenrods). Here’s the jist of it:
There are about 25 Solidago species native to New England and they all look VERY similar, for the most part. The species we have come across so far are S. canadensis, S. rugosa, S. sempervirens and S. altissima.
S. sempervirens is my favorite because it’s the easiest to identify. The reason it’s so easy to identify is because it grows along the coast only, where other Solidago species cannot grow! It also has fleshy and large basal leaves (like many other plant species that grow along the coast) that are quite distinctive and help you feel confident about properly identifying the plant.
S. canadensis, S. rugosa, and S. altissima all look very similar and grow together in large stands that you would love to just be one species of Solidago, but more likely than not is a combination of several species. Our trick for properly identifying between these three lies in their leaves. Venation and hairs are two characteristics that help distinguish between these species. Whenever we come across a Solidago we check for nearly parallel versus netted venation first. That helps us distinguish between S. rugosa and the others because S. rugosa has netted venation while the others have three nearly parallel veins. To distinguish between S. canadensis and S. altissima you need a hand lens. The difference between these two species is all in the hairs on the abaxial surface of the leaf. S. altissima is typically only hairy on the veins of the underside of the leaf whereas S. canadensis is hairy on and between the veins of the underside of the leaf. Although this seems pretty straight forward, it’s definitely not black and white. Sometimes we see S. altissima individuals that appear to have hairs on the veins and in between the veins, for example.
The New England team has been busy collecting other species beyond the Asters as well. We recently went to Ponkapaug Bog in Milton, MA and collected the following bog species: Cloethra alnifolia, Chamaedaphne calyculata, and Kalmia polifolia. I especially love visiting this bog because I find bog habitats to be so special and unique. Sphagnum moss has always been one of my favorites. The way it creates a majestic carpet of shades of green and red has always intrigued me.
On another note, we have officially surpassed our goal of 200 seed collections, which feels incredible! We were able to reach this milestone through hard work and an opportunistic attitude. I think we were all a little surprised how quickly we reached our goal and how quickly this season has gone by. With only a month left we have each placed bets on where we will end up by the end of the season. My bet is 248 collections, but who really knows! As seed collectors, we are at the will of mother nature, which is always unpredictable. For all we know, our pace of seed collecting could double or be cut in half this November. I guess I’ll have to check in at least one more time to let you know where we end up!
Until next time,
Anna