Rand’s goldenrod , verge d’or simple de la serpentine

Solidago puberula Nuttall var. monticola Porter, Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 19: 129. 1892; S. randii (Porter) Britton var. monticola (Porter) Fernald; S. virgaurea var. deanei Porter; S. virgaurea Linnaeus var. redfieldii Porter

Plants (10–)18–53(–83) cm. Leaves: basal obovate to spatulate, margins crenate to sharply serrate, acute or somewhat obtuse; cauline (3–)9–26(–35), proximal (42–)62–113(–159) × (5–)10–22(–31) mm, margins crenate to serrate; mid to distal 11.5–39.5(–76) × (1.3–)2–8.4(–14.5) mm. Heads in wandlike racemiform or wandlike to sometimes open paniculiform arrays. Peduncles: bracteoles (0–)1–4(–6). Phyllaries: mid less than 0.9 mm wide 1 mm below apices. Cypselae sparsely to moderately strigose. 2n = 36.

Flowering late summer. Dry serpentine soils, granitic rocky barren uplands of mountains below alpine slopes; of conservation concern; 200–800+ m; Que.; Maine, Mass., N.H., N.Y., Vt.

Variety monticola is found as rare disjunct populations throughout its range.