Solidago minutissima

Yakushima Goldenrod

Solidago minutissima (Makino) Kitamura is a rare, very small goldenrod native to just upper elevations on Yakushima Is., Kumage District, Kagoshima Pref., Japan.  Fruits are hairless.  The species is diploid.

Solidago minutissima range draft JCS

Most collections of the species are from pin-cushion plants forming very short small clumps.  A few collections are of "taller" plants (10-15 cm tall) from the Hananoego area of the island to the south of Mt. Miyanoura (Miyanoura-dake).

Solidago virga-aurea L. var. yakusimensis Nakai and S. yakusimensis (Nakai) Masam. are synonyms.

Solidago minutissima was strongly supported statistically in the multivariate study of Solidago sect. Solidago by Semple et al. (2020). All 13 specimens included in the S. minutissima a priori group was assigned a posteriori to S. minutissima with high probability.

Images of cultivated plants are posted on line Ìý²¹²Ô»åÌý.

Semple, J.C., Y. Ma, L. Tong, and M. Sorour.  2020.  A multivariate morphometric analysis of Solidago sect. Solidago and S. sect. Multiradiatae (Asteraceae: Astereae).  Phytoneuron 2020-38: 1–59.

Last revised 17 May 2025 by J.C. Semple     

© 2025 J.C. Semple, including all photographs unless otherwise indicated

Solidago minutissima shoot (KYO)
Solidago minutissima, Furuse s.n. (A), Yakushima, Japan
Solidago minutissima hds Murata 438 KYO
Solidago minutissima, heads, Furuse s.n. (A), Yakushima, Japan
Solidago minutissima ray floret fruit Murata 483 KYO
Solidago minutissima disc floret fruit Murata 483 KYO

1-6. Solidago minutissima, Yakushima, Japan. 1. Small shoot, Mitsuta 891  KYO. 2. Large shoot, Furuse s.n. A. 3. Heads, Murata 438 KYO. 4. Heads, Furuse s.n. A. 5-6. Ray and disc floret fruits, Murata 438 KYO.