YELLOWTOP 



vary little, the specific differences are largely 

 in the stem, the leaves, and the habit of growth. 

 The stem may be rough or smooth, hairy, angular 

 or round ; the leaf may be three-veined or feather- 

 veined ; the flowers may have relatively large or 

 small rays, few or many, but every plant is un- 

 mistakably a Goldenrod. The flower-heads are 

 small, they sit on the upper side of the stem in 

 order and very close together, all with one ex- 

 ception are yellow. Both ray and disk florets 

 are fertile and produce akenes with pappus. 

 The leaves of all the species are alternate. 



Unless one is a trained botanist it is wasted 

 energy to try to distinguish any but the well- 

 marked species of the genus; moreover, Golden- 

 rod hybridizes to the discomfort of even the 

 elect botanist. 



YELLOWTOP. EARLY GOLDENROD 



Soliddgo juncea 



Native, perennial. An Early Goldenrod which 

 in northern Ohio often appears the last of June, 

 and continues blooming into September. 



35 



