Botanical Division. 



Golden Rod Weeds. 



Complaints having been made in certain quarters in regard to 

 the tendency of some of the golden rods to become more or less 

 troublesome weeds, this note upon the subject has been prepared. 



The golden rods constitute the genus Solidago of the botanist, 

 one of the largest and most important genera of the sunflower 

 family. They are all late summer or autumnal blooming plants, 

 bearing clusters of small flowers, usually of a yellow or golden 

 color. The roots are perennial, but the stems, for the most part 

 slender or wand-like in form, are annual and herbaceous, or 

 somewhat woody in mature plants. 



About eighty species of golden rod are known. These vary 

 in height from six inches or less in the Alpine variety of Solidago 

 virgaurea, to eight feet or more in the large variety of Solidago 

 serotina. They also differ more or less in the habit and general 

 appearance of the plants, in the form and size of the flower clusters, 

 in the size and texture of the leaves, and in other ways. 



Nearly all the golden rods are attractive plants, chiefly on 

 account of the rich, warm, golden color of the flowers. The high 

 esteem in which they are generally held has led to a wide-spread 

 proposal that the golden rod should be adopted as a national 

 flower. Whether some particular species should be chosen, or 

 whether any one of the eighty species might be regarded as 

 answering all the requirements of the case, is a phase of the 

 subject which thus far received' but little consideration. 



The golden rods are nearly all natives of eastern North America. 

 Only a single species, Solidago virgaurea, is native to Britain and 

 continental Europe. The number of species known to be native 

 to the State of New York was placed at twenty-two by Dr. Torrey, 

 in 1843. Professor Dudley admits in the Cayuga Flora sixteen 



51 



