Solidago odora explained

Solidago odora, the sweet goldenrod, anisescented goldenrod or fragrant goldenrod, is a North American species of goldenrod within the family Asteraceae. The plant is native to the United States and Mexico, found in every coastal state from Veracruz to New Hampshire and as far inland as Ohio, Missouri, and Oklahoma.^[1] It flowers from July through October.

Subspecies include:^{[2] [3]}

• Solidago odora subsp. odora - most of species range
• Solidago odora subsp. chapmanii (Gray) Semple - Florida only

As a traditional medicine, Solidago odora has a variety of ethnobotanical uses, especially by the Cherokee.^[4]

The leaves, which smell of licorice when crushed, can be made into a tea.^[5]

Galls

This species is host to the following insect induced galls:

• Eurosta lateralis (Wiedemann, 1830)
• Procecidochares atra (Loew, 1862) (summer and autumn generations)
• Calycomyza solidaginis Kaltenbach, 1869^[6]

external link to gallformers

Notes and References

1. http://bonap.net/MapGallery/County/Solidago%20odora.png Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map
2. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=130659 Flora of North America, Solidago odora Aiton, 1789. Anise-scented or fragrant or sweet goldenrod
3. Integrated Taxonomy Information System ITIS Accessed Sept 28, 2014.
4. Book: Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoske . Cherokee Plants and Their Uses —A 400 Year History . Sylva, NC . Herald Publishing Co. . 1975 . 36.
5. Book: Niering . William A. . William Niering. Olmstead . Nancy C. . The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers, Eastern Region . 1985 . 1979. Knopf . 0-394-50432-1 . 404.
6. Kaltenbach . J.H. . Die deutschen Phytophagen aus der Klasse der Insekten [concl.] . Verh. Naturh. Ver. Preuss. Rheinl. . 1869 . 26 . 3, 6 . 106-224.