Missouri goldenrod (Solidago missouriensis) is the common goldenrod growing on drier sites away from the immediate vicinity of streamside vegetation, often where rocky.  Plants are usually much less than 1 m tall, with well-developed basal leaves that are larger than the cauline leaves, though the former often shrivel by flowering time.  The stem is glabrous or only sparsely hairy, even in the inflorescence, and usually reddish.  The inflorescence is variable in shape, phyllaries are +/- lanceolate with a broad herbaceous central portion, and ray flowers are usually around 8 in number.

This is a wide-ranging species, occurring in most of the United States except the Eastern Seaboard.  Although often divided into varieties, the treatment in Flora of North America (Semple & Cook, 2006) refrains from doing so, noting instead that “A detailed study of the species is needed.”

Semple, J.C & R.E. Cook.  2006.  Solidago.  Flora of North America North of Mexico 20: 107–166.