Ohio Goldenrod. Summary. Protection Threatened in New York State, not listed federally.

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1 Ohio Goldenrod Solidago ohioensis Scientific Name Family Name Solidago ohioensis Riddell Asteraceae Aster Family Did you know? The common and scientific name refer to the state of Ohio where this species is a dominant in prairie fens. Photo credits: Troy Weldy Summary Protection Threatened in New York State, not listed federally. Rarity G4, S2 This level of state protection means: listed species are those with: 1) 6 to fewer than 20 extant sites, or 2) 1,000 to fewer than 3,000 individuals, or 3) restricted to not less than 4 or more than 7 U.S.G.S. 7 ½ minute topographical maps, or 4) listed as threatened by U.S. Department of Interior. A global rarity rank of G4 means: This species is apparently secure globally (typically with more than 100+ populations), though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery. A state rarity rank of S2 means: This plant is threatened/imperiled in New York because of rarity (typically 6-20 populations or few remaining individuals) or is vulnerable to extirpation from New York due to biological factors. NYNHP Conservation Guide - Ohio Goldenrod (Solidago ohioensis)

2 Conservation Status in New York This species is at the eastern edge of its range in New York and the habitat it prefers is rather limited in New York. There are a total of 11 known extant populations. Eleven populations have not been seen in over 55 years and are considered historical. There are 3 populations which are believed extirpated. Short-term Trends No populations are known to have been extirpated in recent years. Most known extant populations occur in habitat that is in good shape although at least one is being threatened by invasive plants. Overall, although short term trends are not clear they appear to be stable to perhaps slightly declining. Long-term Trends Six out of the 11 known extant populations were first documented within the past 25 years. It is likely these populations were simply overlooked in the past and are not truly "new". Around 11 populations have not been seen in at least 55 years. Most of these populations have not been searched for recently and may still be extant. Around 3 populations have become extirpated in the past 100+ years. Overall, long term trends indicate at least some decline. Conservation and Management Threats There is a gravel/sand pit adjacent to one population and continued mining may negatively impact this population. Trampling is another threat at a few populations due to the sensitive nature of the habitat where Ohio goldenrod grows. Erosion at some populations that occur on very steep slopes may eliminate some individual plants but in the long term, it is likely that this erosional process will create new habitat suitable for additional Ohio goldenrod plants. At least one population is threatened by competition from invasive species as well as flooding by beaver activities. Conservation Strategies and Management Practices As much as possible, researchers and botanists should avoid trampling sensitive fen habitat where this species occurs. Invasive species should be controlled at the one population where they are encroaching on the habitat where Ohio goldenrod grows. Beaver activity should be monitored at populations that may be threatened by flooding by beavers. If it appears that flooding will occur, beavers should be controlled. Research Needs All populations that are only known from historical specimens should be surveyed to determine if these populations are still extant. Known extant populations should be monitored on a regular basis. Habitat NYNHP Conservation Guide - Ohio Goldenrod (Solidago ohioensis) 2

3 In New York, this species predominately grows in very rich fens including sloping and marl fens. It also occasionally occurs in rich peat swamps, calcareous dripping cliffs, and banks of large rivers (New York Natural Heritage Program 2008). Marshes, wet sand dunes, along rivers (Semple and Cook 2006). Swamps, beaches, and other moist places (Gleason and Cronquist 1991). Calcareous bogs, wet prairies, and sandy shores (Fernald 1970). Associated Ecological Communities Marl Fen A wetland that occurs on a bed of marl. Marl is a whitish substance that is deposited from water that has a lot of calcium dissolved in it. The whitish substance is calcium carbonate, people used to harvest marl to lime agricultural fields. The marl substrate is always saturated, may be flooded, and has a very high ph, generally greater than 7.5. The main source of water is always groundwater. The plants are often sparse and stunted. Marl fens may occur as small patches within a rich graminoid fen. Red Maple-tamarack Peat Swamp A swamp that occurs on organic soils (peat or muck) in poorly drained depressions. These swamps are often spring fed or enriched by seepage of mineral-rich groundwater resulting in a stable water table and continually saturated soil. The dominant trees are red maple and tamarack. These species usually form an open canopy (50 to 70% cover) with numerous small openings dominated by shrubs or sedges. Rich Graminoid Fen A wetland of mostly grasses usually fed by water from highly calcareous springs or seepage. These waters have high concentrations of minerals and high ph values, generally from 6.0 to 7.8. Plant remains do not decompose rapidly and these grasses usually grow on older, undecomposed plant parts. Rich Sloping Fen A small, gently sloping wetland that occurs in a shallow depression on a slope composed of calcareous glacial deposits. Sloping fens are fed by small springs or groundwater seepage. Like other rich fens, their water sources have high concentrations of minerals and high ph values, generally from 6.0 to 7.8. They often have water flowing at the surface in small channels or rivulets. Other Probable Associated Communities Northern white cedar swamp Riverside ice meadow Riverside sand/gravel bar Associated Species Smallflower False Foxglove (Agalinis paupercula) Water Sedge (Carex aquatilis) Golden-fruited Sedge (Carex aurea) Buxbaum's Sedge (Carex buxbaumii) Bristleleaf Sedge (Carex eburnea) Yellow Sedge (Carex flava) Dioecious Sedge (Carex sterilis) NYNHP Conservation Guide - Ohio Goldenrod (Solidago ohioensis) 3

4 Swamp Thistle (Cirsium muticum) Twig Rush (Cladium mariscoides) Northern Yellow Lady's-slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum) Bulblet Fern (Cystopteris bulbifera) Shrubby Cinquefoil (Dasiphora fruticosa) Beaked Spike-rush (Eleocharis rostellata) Green Keeled Cottongrass (Eriophorum viridicarinatum) Loesel's Twayblade (Liparis loeselii) Kalm's Lobelia (Lobelia kalmii) Spiked Muhly (Muhlenbergia glomerata) Houghton's Goldenrod (Oligoneuron houghtonii) Golden Ragwort (Packera aurea) Carolina Grass-of-parnassus (Parnassia glauca) Bird's-eye Primrose (Primula mistassinica) Alderleaf Buckthorn (Rhamnus alnifolia) White Beakrush (Rhynchospora alba) Hard-stemmed Bulrush (Schoenoplectus acutus) Bog Goldenrod (Solidago uliginosa) Nodding Ladies'-tresses (Spiranthes cernua) Shining Ladies'-tresses (Spiranthes lucida) Hooded Ladies'-tresses (Spiranthes romanzoffiana) Northern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis) Sticky False-asphodel (Triantha glutinosa) Tufted Bulrush (Trichophorum cespitosum) Identification Comments Ohio goldenrod is a perennial herbaceous plant that grows up to 1 meter tall. Plants occur either as rosettes of leaves or groups (1-10) of stems. The stems also have leaves along their length. Like all members of the sunflower family the flowers occur in tight groups or heads which are often mistaken for one flower. These heads of flowers occur in a branched, flat-topped array at the top of the stems. The flowers are yellow (Semple and Cook 2006). Best Life Stage for Identifying This Species This species can easily be identified when it is in flower or fruit. The Best Time to See This species starts to flower in mid-august or sometimes a little earlier and continues through September or very early October. Fruits start in September and can last through October. Flowering individuals are easiest to spot and identify so, the best time to survey for this species is from mid-august through September. NYNHP Conservation Guide - Ohio Goldenrod (Solidago ohioensis) 4

5 Vegetative Flowering Fruiting Similar Species Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec The time of year you would expect to find Ohio Goldenrod in New York. The very rare Oligoneuron houghtonii is quite similar. It can be distinguished by its taller involucres ((5.5-)6-8(-9) mm tall), leaf blades prominently 3-veined, fewer heads per capitulescence (10-30(-50) or sometimes 100 or more in robust plants), stems to about 60 cm, and branches in the capitulescences glabrous to pubescent. In contrast, O. ohioense has shorter involucres (4-5 mm tall), leaf blades prominently 1-veined, more heads per capitulescence (10-500), stems cm tall, and branches in the capitulescences glabrous (Voss 1996, Semple and Cook 2006). Caution should be used with the number of heads per capitulescence character as robust plants of O. houghtonii can have as many heads as typical O. ohioense and depauperate plants of O. ohioense can have fewer than normal heads per capitulescence (Voss 1996). Conservation Comments Oligoneuron is considered a monophyletic group (at least in some analyses) by Zhang (1996). Yet there is differing opinion as to whether Oligoneuron should be segregated from Solidago s.s. Zhang's (1996) work shows Oligoneuron nested within Solidago but close to a basal position. Depending on the circumscription of Solidago, the assignment of rank to Oligoneuron becomes subjective (Nesom 2000). Beck et al. (2004) suggests that further work may reveal a clade that consists of Solidago s.s., Oligoneuron, Chrysoma pauciflosculosa, Brintonia discoidea, and Oreochrysum parryi which then could all be placed under an expanded circumscription of Solidago. Semple and Cook (2006) and Semple et al. (1999) include Oligoneuron in a broad circumscription of Solidago while Nesom (2000) segregate the two genera. Hybrids between Oligoneuron ohioensis and Oligoneuron album (O. x krotkovii (Boivin) Nesom) are known where the two species are sympatric and apparently can be similar to Oligoneuron houghtonii (Semple and Cook 2006). Taxonomy Kingdom Phylum Class Plantae Anthophyta Order Dicots (Dicotyledoneae) Family Asterales Asteraceae (Aster Family) NYNHP Conservation Guide - Ohio Goldenrod (Solidago ohioensis) 5

6 Synonyms Oligoneuron ohioense ((Frank ex Riddell) G.N. Jones) Additional Resources Links New York Flora Atlas USDA Plants Database SOLIDAGO+OHIOENSIS NatureServe Explorer S Google Images References Beck, J.B., G.L. Nesom, P.J. Calie, G.I. Baird, R.L. Small and E.E. Schilling Is subtribe Solidagininae (Asteraceae) monophyletic? Taxon 53: Clemants, Steven and Carol Gracie Wildflowers in the Field and Forest. A Field Guide to the Northeastern United States. Oxford University Press, New York, NY. 445 pp. Crow, Garrett E. and C. Barre Hellquist Aquatic and Wetland Plants of Northeastern North America: A revised and enlarged edition of Norman C. Fassett's a Manual of Aquatic Plants. Volume One: Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, and Angiosperms: Dicotyledons. The University of Wisconsin Press. Madison, Wisconsin. 536 Pages. Fernald, M.L Gray's manual of botany. 8th edition. D. Van Nostrand, New York pp. Gleason, Henry A. and A. Cronquist Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York. 910 pp. Holmgren, Noel The Illustrated Companion to Gleason and Cronquist's Manual. Illustrations of the Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York. Keys, Jr.,J.; Carpenter, C.; Hooks, S.; Koenig, F.; McNab, W.H.; Russell, W.;Smith, M.L Ecological units of the eastern United States - first approximation (cd-rom), Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. GIS coverage in ARCINFO format, selected imagery, and map unit tables. NatureServe NatureServe Central Databases. Arlington, Virginia. USA Nesom, G.L Generic Conspectus of the Tribe Astereae (Asteraceae) in North America, Central America, the Antilles, and Hawaii. The Botancial Research Institute of Texas, Fort Worth, Texas, USA. New York Natural Heritage Program Biotics database. New York Natural Heritage Program. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Albany, NY. Newcomb, Lawrence Newcomb's Wildflower Guide: An Ingenious New Key System for NYNHP Conservation Guide - Ohio Goldenrod (Solidago ohioensis) 6

7 Quick, Positive Field Identification of the Wildflowers, Flowering Shrubs, and Vines of Northeastern and North-Central North America. Little, Brown and Company. Boston. Semple, J.C. and R.E. Cook Solidago Linnaeus. Pages in Flora of North America Editorial Committee (Editors), Flora of North America, north of Mexico, Volume 20, Magnoliophyta: Asteridae, part 7: Asteraceae, part 2, Asterales, part 2 (Aster order). Oxford University Press, New York, NY, USA. 666pp + xxii. Semple, J.C., G.S. Ringius, and J.J. Zhang The Goldenrods of Ontrio: Solidago L. and Euthamia Nutt. 3rd Edition. University of Waterloo Biology Series, Number 39. University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Voss, Edward G Michigan Flora Part III. Dicots Concluded (Pyrolaceae - Compositae). Cranbrook Institute of Science Bulletin 61 and University of Michigan Herbarium. 622 pp. Weldy, T. and D. Werier New York flora atlas. [S.M. Landry, K.N. Campbell, and L.D. Mabe (original application development), Florida Center for Community Design and Research University of South Florida New York Flora Association Albany, New York Weldy, Troy W. and David Werier New York Flora Atlas. [S.M. Landry, K.N. Campbell, and L.D. Mabe (original application development), Florida Center for Community Design and Research. University of South Florida]. New York Flora Association, Albany, NY. Available on the web at ( Zhang, J.J A Molecular Biosystematic Study on North American Solidago and Related Genera (Asteraceae: Astereae) Based on Chloroplast DNA RFLP Analysis (Phylogenetics). Ph.D. dissertation. University of Waterloo. New York Natural Heritage Program 625 Broadway, 5th Floor, Albany, NY Phone: (518) acris@nynhp.org This project is made possible with funding from: - New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Hudson River Estuary Program - Division of Lands & Forests, Department of Environmental Conservation - New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Information for this guide was last updated on Aug 15, 2017 This guide was authored by NYNHP Conservation Guide - Ohio Goldenrod (Solidago ohioensis) 7