Solidago shortii
Torr. & Gray
Short's Goldenrod
G1Critically ImperiledGlobal Rank
Very high - highThreat Impact
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, https://www.usa.gov/government-works
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.140598
Element CodePDAST8P1T0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderAsterales
FamilyAsteraceae
GenusSolidago
Other Common Names
Short's goldenrod (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2023-10-26
Change Date2023-10-26
Edition Date1996-09-18
Edition AuthorsD.White (1996), rev. L. Morse (2000), rev. Soteropoulos (2023)
Threat ImpactVery high - high
Range Extent250-5000 square km (about 100-2000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences6 - 20
Rank Reasons
Solidago shortii is a perennial herb known from dry, rocky, open habitats in north central Kentucky and southern Indiana, where it was rediscovered in 2001, in the southeastern United States. It is known from nine occurrences with an additional seven occurrences that have been planted since 2014. All natural occurrences of this species are small remnant patches of glade/forest complex and none continuously covers more than an acre. Population sizes are small, and estimating the number of plants is difficult due to the clonal habitat of individuals, though the number of stems has decreased significantly in recent counts compared to counts in 1989. The species faces threats from habitat destruction and degradation, including overgrazing and trampling in pastures, maintenance of roadside and utility rights-of-way, competition from invasive species, and shading. Protection of high quality sites and surveys for additional populations to protect are high priorities.
Range Extent Comments
Solidago shortii occurs in the southeastern United States in north central Kentucky and southern Indiana. It was first collected in 1840 and is historically known from Rock Island near the falls of the Ohio River in Jefferson County, Kentucky prior to the inundation of the site by dam construction on the Ohio River. The current distribution around Stony Creek-Licking River Watershed in the Blue Licks, Kentucky area includes Fleming, Nicholas, and Robertson Counties with additional, planted populations along Beaver Creek-Licking River Watershed near Claysville, Kentucky in Harrison County; Cassidy Creek-Licking River Watershed and Little Flat Creek-Licking River Watershed in Fleming and Nicholas Counties; and Cedar Creek-Licking River Watershed in Robertson County. In Indiana, it is known from along the Blue River in Harrison County. Homoya (1996) notes that an 1844 report from Indiana was mentioned in Dr. Asahel Clapp's journal (a physician and botanist from Albany, Indiana).
The range extent varies when considering the planted occurrences. Without planted occurrences, the range extent is 388 square km. With the planted occurrences, the range extent is 2,348 square km.
The range extent varies when considering the planted occurrences. Without planted occurrences, the range extent is 388 square km. With the planted occurrences, the range extent is 2,348 square km.
Occurrences Comments
Number of occurrences was calculated by applying a 1 km separation distance to NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between the years of 2006 and 2022 (NatureServe 2023), excluding one occurrence that was failed to find in 2015. The number of occurrences varies when considering the planted occurrences. Without planted occurrences, the number of occurrences is nine. With the planted occurrences, the number of occurrences is sixteen.
Threat Impact Comments
Solidago shortii faces threats from habitat destruction and degradation. Threats include "agriculture (pasture maintenance, heavy grazing and trampling by livestock), development (land-clearing, grading, bulldozing of habitats), highway road maintenance (right-of-way clearing, spraying of herbicides), and utility line maintenance (spraying of herbicides)[,]... competition from exotic plants, such as crown vetch (Securigera varia), Queen Anne's lace (Daucus carota), sweet clover (Meliltous alba), tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus), and musk thistle (Carduus nutans)," and fire suppression leading to canopy closure (USFWS 2023). Recreational activities could pose a potential threat, though negative impacts from hikers have not been observed (USFWS 2023). A fungus has been observed on leaves in many occurrences, and the effect of the fungus is unknown (USFWS 2023).
Ecology & Habitat
Diagnostic Characteristics
According to Medley (1980) Solidago shortii, occurs with Solidago canadensis (=S. altissima) and S. nemoralis but S. shortii is generally smaller than S. altissima, usually no more than 1 m tall (versus 2.5 m) and has glabrous leaves with minute teeth (versus pubescent leaves with noticeable teeth). It differs from S. nemoralis in having its largest leaves near the middle of the stem instead of at the base and by having glabrous leaves.
Habitat
Solidago shortii grows in relatively dry, rocky, open habitats, including limestone cedar glades, limestone ledges of riverscour, cedar thickets, and edges of oak-hickory forests, and it can be found in modified areas such as pastures, old fields, powerline rights-of-way, and rock ledges along highways (USFWS 2023). In requires glade-like habitats where droughty soils prevent the establishment of trees and shrubs. Although the plants are most vigorous in full sun, once they are established, they can persist for extended periods of time as succession from pasture to woodland occurs. Seedlings appear to be limited to relatively bare soil in glades, roadsides and wood edges.
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandForest EdgeWoodland - HardwoodGrassland/herbaceousOld fieldBarrensBare rock/talus/scree
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN1
| Province | Rank | Native |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana | S1 | Yes |
| Kentucky | S1 | Yes |
Threat Assessments
| Threat | Scope | Severity | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 - Residential & commercial development | Restricted (11-30%) | Extreme - serious | High (continuing) |
| 2 - Agriculture & aquaculture | Large - restricted | Serious - moderate | High (continuing) |
| 2.3 - Livestock farming & ranching | Large - restricted | Serious - moderate | High (continuing) |
| 2.3.4 - Scale unknown/unrecorded | Large - restricted | Serious - moderate | High (continuing) |
| 4 - Transportation & service corridors | Large (31-70%) | Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline | High (continuing) |
| 4.1 - Roads & railroads | Large (31-70%) | Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline | High (continuing) |
| 4.2 - Utility & service lines | Restricted (11-30%) | Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline | High (continuing) |
| 6 - Human intrusions & disturbance | Pervasive - large | Moderate - slight | High (continuing) |
| 6.1 - Recreational activities | Pervasive - large | Moderate - slight | High (continuing) |
| 7 - Natural system modifications | Restricted (11-30%) | Serious or 31-70% pop. decline | High (continuing) |
| 7.1 - Fire & fire suppression | Restricted (11-30%) | Serious or 31-70% pop. decline | High (continuing) |
| 7.2 - Dams & water management/use | Restricted (11-30%) | Extreme or 71-100% pop. decline | Insignificant/negligible or past |
| 7.2.10 - Large Dams | Restricted (11-30%) | Extreme or 71-100% pop. decline | Insignificant/negligible or past |
| 8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Large (31-70%) | Serious - moderate | High (continuing) |
| 8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Large (31-70%) | Serious - moderate | High (continuing) |
| 8.1.1 - Unspecified species | Large (31-70%) | Serious - moderate | High (continuing) |
| 8.4 - Problematic species/diseases of unknown origin | Large (31-70%) | Unknown | High (continuing) |
| 8.4.1 - Unspecified species | Large (31-70%) | Unknown | High (continuing) |
Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
Idaho (1)
| Area | Forest | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Bear Creek | Caribou-Targhee National Forest | 118,582 |
References (15)
- Baskin, J.M., J.L. Walck, C.C. Baskin, and D.E. Buchele. 2000. Ecology and conservation biology of the endangered plant species <i>Solidago shortii</i> (Asteraceae). Native Plants Journal 1(1):35-41.
- Buchele, D.E., J.M. Baskin, and C.C. Baskin. 1989. Ecology of the endangered species Solidago shortii. I. Geography, populations, and physical habitat. Bull. Torrey Botanical Club 116(4): 344-355.
- Buchele, D.E., J.M. Baskin and C.C. Baskin. 1992. Ecology of the endangered species Solidago shortii. IV. Pollination ecology. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 119(2):137-141.
- Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2006b. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 20. Magnoliophyta: Asteridae, part 7: Asteraceae, part 2. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxii + 666 pp.
- Homoya, M.A. 1996. The return of Short's goldenrod. Endangered Species bulletin, March/April, Volume XX1(2): 24-25.
- Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
- Lowe, D.W., J.R. Matthews, and C.J. Moseley, eds. 1990. The official World Wildlife Fund guide to endangered species of North America. Beacham Publishing, Washington, D.C. 1180 pp.
- Medley, M. E. 1980. Status report for <i>Solidago shortii</i> Torr. & Gray. Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission, Frankfort.
- Morse, Larry E. Personal Communication. North American Botanist, NatureServe, Arlington, VA. Formerly Chief Botanist, The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA.
- NatureServe. 2023. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 1985. Endangered status for <i>Solidago shortii</i> (Short's goldenrod). Federal Register 50(172): 36085-36088.
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 2022. Initiation of 5-Year Status Reviews for 35 Southeastern Species. Notice of initiation of reviews; request for information. Federal Register 87(93): 29364-29366.
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 2023. Short's Goldenrod (<i>Solidago shortii</i>) 5-year status review: summary and evaluation.
- Walck, J.L., J.M. Baskin and C.C. Baskin. 1992a. Ecology of the endangered species <i>Solidago shortii</i>. VI. Effects of habitat type, leaf litter, and soil type on seed germination. Journal of the Torrey Botanical Club 126(2):117-123.
- Walck, J.L., J.M. Baskin, and C.C. Baskin. 1999b. Ecology of the endangered species <i>Solidago shortii</i>. VII. Survivorship and flowering, and comparison with common, geographically-widespread <i>Solidago </i>species. Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society 126(2):124-132.