Goldenrods
One of the plants that I observed during the lab was Goldenrods. I observed them in Montreal and saw that they grew in a patch a couple of meters wide. The leaves grew lower near the ground and the flowering part of the plant was higher as a single stalk with many small yellow flowers growing from it.
Goldenrods are perennial plants native to North America. They are part of the genus Solidago, which contains 100-120 species, and the family Asteraceae, which contains around 23,000 species.
Goldenrods are pollinated by insects and have sticky pollen to help maximize reproduction as insects move from one flower to the next. The flowers contain nectar that draws in insects. This is most likely a result of natural selection, as insects are more drawn to plants with nectar and thus those plants can use the insects as a vector for reproduction leading to natural selection.
Interestingly enough, this plant is common in traditional and herbal medicine. Some native American cultures treat sore throats by chewing the roots of the plant.
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