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common tarweed, grassy tarweed, gumweed, slender tarweed

cluster tarweed, mountain tarweed

Habit Plants 10–200+ cm, odor resinous; self-compatible. Plants 5–120 cm, odor acrid; self-compatible.
Stems

proximally pilose to hirsute, distally glandular-pubescent;

glands yellowish, purple, or black;

lateral branches seldom surpassing main stems.

proximally villous to hispid, distally glandular-pubescent;

glands yellowish or black;

lateral branches sometimes surpassing main stems.

Leaves

linear to oblong, 1–10(15) cm × 1–8(10) mm.

linear to linear-lanceolate, 2–10 cm × 2–7 mm.

Inflorescences

open; panicle- or raceme-like arrays, rarely heads congested.

usually crowded glomerules, sometimes corymb- or panicle-like arrays.

Involucres

depressed-globose to urceolate, 5–10 mm.

narrowly ovoid or ellipsoid, 5.5–9 mm.

Ray florets

3–10;

corollas lemon-yellow or greenish yellow;

rays 1.5–8 mm.

0–3;

corollas greenish yellow to purplish;

rays 1–3 mm.

Disc florets

2–16+; bisexual, fertile;

corollas 2.5–5 mm, pubescent;

anthers ± dark purple;

ovaries developing;

walls becoming dark; rigid.

1–5(12); bisexual, fertile;

corollas 3–4.5 mm, pubescent;

anthers ± dark purple;

ovaries developing;

walls becoming dark; rigid.

Phyllaries

sometimes hirsute, finely or coarsely glandular-pubescent;

glands yellowish, purple, or black;

tips erect or somewhat reflexed; flat.

± pilose and glandular-pubescent;

glands yellowish or black;

tips erect or reflexed; flat.

Heads

not showy.

not showy.

Paleae

connate ? ½ their lengths.

distinct.

Ray fruits

compressed; black, purple, or mottled; dull;

compressed; black; dull, not beaked.

±

not beaked.

Disc fruits

similar to ray fruits.

similar to ray fruits.

2n

=32, 48.

=28.

Madia gracilis

Madia glomerata

Distribution
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Open or partially shaded slopes or flats in grasslands, meadows, shrublands, forests, disturbed areas, streambanks. Flowering May–Aug. 0–2100 m. All ecoregions. CA, ID, NV, WA; north to British Columbia, northeast to MT, southeast to UT, south to Mexico. Native.

Madia gracilis often co-occurs with M. sativa. The two species are easily confused because of morphological similarities and inherent variation within both, especially when presented with only ill-prepared or incomplete herbarium material. Despite the tendency of M. gracilis to flower earlier than M. sativa, the two species are partially interfertile (Clausen 1951); hybridization may explain the difficulty of identifying some individuals.

Openings in grasslands, meadows, swales, shrublands, forests, edges of marshes, lakes, or watercourses, disturbed areas. Flowering Jun–Sep. 50–2500 m. All ecoregions except Est. CA, ID, NV, WA; north to AK, northeast to Quebec, east to ME, southeast to NM. Native.

Madia glomerata has the most extensive North American distribution of any species in Madiinae.

Source Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 307
Bruce Baldwin, Gerald Carr
Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 307
Bruce Baldwin, Gerald Carr
Sibling taxa
M. citriodora, M. elegans, M. exigua, M. glomerata, M. sativa
M. citriodora, M. elegans, M. exigua, M. gracilis, M. sativa
Synonyms Madia gracilis ssp. gracilis
Web links