There are over two dozen species of the late-season genus Solidago in New England, many with similar golden-yellow inflorescences — you can be forgiven for not knowing which goldenrod is which. Chances are good, though, that the first one you notice is Solidago juncea, the early goldenrod, which starts blooming well before the rest of the pack. The species is now off to the races on the sandplain at Wellfleet Bay. The grassland is painted with streaks of yellow this week as scores of early goldenrods have risen above the clumps of little bluestem to bloom brightly against the tan stalks and seedheads.
