Nemoralis: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF)  and Flora of Alberta (FOA) leading to this species. 

	plants mostly 1-4 dm tall (FOA)
	plants generally taller than 0.5-2.0 (3.0) dm tall (FOA)
	stems mostly pubescent or puberulent; NOT [stems mostly glabrous below the inflorescence] (FOA)
	basal leaves often forming a rosette
	petiole of basal leaves NOT conspicuously ciliate
	basal leaves much longer than stem leaves
	lower stem-leaves well developed, oblanceolate
	stem-leaves linear to linear lanceolate, sparse, often distant, reduced upwards
	leaves minutely gray pubescent (BF)
	heads not corymbose, usually racemose, the inflorescence cylindrical to narrowly oval, or paniculate, with spreading or arching branches; NOT [heads corymbose, the inflorescence rounded or flat-topped] (FOA)
	inflorescence a panicle with more or less spreading or arching branches; NOT [inflorescence racemose, with branches ascending along the stem]; NOT [inflorescence corymbose, with the branches slanting upward, forming a rounded or flat-topped inflorescence] (BF)
	heads often second on the branches

Solidago: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus.

	plants with fibrous roots; NOT with a taproot
	juice watery; NOT milky
	leaves alternate or basal; NOT opposite
	leaves simple; NOT pinnatifid, NOT divided
	leaves never spinescent
	heads small and numerous, in terminal or axillary clusters; NOT [usually solitary at ends of branches]
	involucral bracts in 2 or more series; NOT [in one series, sometimes with a few much shorter outer ones at the base]
	involucral bracts well imbricated; NOT scarcely imbricated
	receptacle naked
	flower heads with both tubular and ray florets
	ligulate flowers pistillate or neuter; NOT perfect
	ray florets yellow; NOT [pink, blue, purple, or white]
	stamens united to form a tube around the pistil
	pappus composed of hairs; NOT scales, NOT bristles, NOT firm awns, NOT a crown, NOT absent, pappus NOT chaffy
	pappus single, hairs sometimes unequal but not distinctly divided into an inner and outer series of two lengths; NOT [pappus double, hairs of the outer series inconspicuous, distinctly shorter than the inner]