55/150: Canadian Goldenrod, not the reason for your sneezin’

Plantae: Magnoliophyta: Magnoliopsida: Asterales: Solidago canadensis (Linneaus)

While you’re reading this, an unknown number of people are blaming their allergies on the misunderstood Canadian Goldenrod. For about 30 seconds of your day, we can provide you with some interesting knowledge about our very own Canadian Goldenrod so you can see its importance and beauty. Goldenrod is typically thought of as a source for allergies, but ragweed is the reason for your late summer sniffles. What is interesting about the goldenrod, is that it plays a role in many biotic interactions. The plant acts as a home for the European gall fly larva, which resides in small bulb-like expansions of the stem. It is also known as a late summer food source for several insects and as a last source for nectar for bees. In the past, goldenrod has been used by Canadians for its medicinal properties, and for other things like dyes and potpourri. #Canada150 #Biodiversity150

Here’s the barcode sequence information for this species:

Process ID:  PLON074-07

nucleotide sequence

–GGATATAGGGACTCTATATTTCATCTTTGGTGCCATTGCTGGAGTGATGGGCACATGCTTCTCAGTACTGATTCGTATGGAATTAGCACGACCCGGCGATCAAATTCTTGGTGGGAATCATCAACTTTATAATGTTTTAATAACGGCTCACGCTTTTTTAATGATATTTTTTATGGTTATGCCGGCGATGATAGGTGGATTTGGTAATTGGTTTGTTCCGATTCTGATAGGTGCGCCTGACATGGCATTTCCACGATTAAATAATATTTCATTCTGGTTGTTGCCACCAAGTCTCTTGCTCCTATTAAGCTCAGCCTTAGTAGAAGTGGGTAGTGGCACTGGGTGGACGGTCTATCCGCCCTTAAGTGGTATTACCAGCCATTCTGGAGGAGCAGTTGATTTAGCAATTTTTAGTCTTCATCTATCTGGTATTTCCTCCATTTTAGGTTCTATCAATTTTATAACAACTATCTTCAACATGCGTGGACCTGGAATGACTATGCATAGATTACCCCTATTTGTGTGGTCCGTTCTAGTGACAGCATTCCTACTTTTATTATCACTTCCGGTACTGGCAGGGGCAATTACCATGTTATTAACCGATCGAAACTTTAATACAACCTTTTTTGATCCCGCTGGAGGGGGAGACCCCATA—————

amino acid sequence

DIGTLYFIFGAIAGVMGTCFSVLIRMELARPGDQILGGNHQLYNVLITAHAFLMIFFMVMPAMIGGFGNWFVPILIGAPDMAFPRLNNISFWLLPPSLLLLLSSALVEVGSGTGWTVYPPLSGITSHSGGAVDLAIFSLHLSGISSILGSINFITTIFNMRGPGMTMHRLPLFVWSVLVTAFLLLLSLPVLAGAITMLLTDRNFNTTFFDPAGGGDPI—–

Title Image: Specimen JAG 0101 – Norfolk County, Ontario – 7-Sep-2006
Photo Credit: Steve Newmaster, University of Guelph OAC Herbarium