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Madia elegans

Madia elegans D. Don ex Lindl.

Common Madia, Elegant Madia

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: MAEL

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Slender, erect leafy stems have mostly yellow flower heads at the ends of branches in the upper part.

Species of Madia (a Chilean name for a species once grown for the oil in its seeds) are covered with sticky, glandular hairs and are often called tarweed. The heads of many, including those of Elegant Madia, close at night.

From the Image Gallery

1 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Size Notes: Up to about 8 feet tall, often much shorter.
Fruit: Fruit is a cypsela (pl. cypselae). Though technically incorrect, the fruit is often referred to as an achene.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Red , Yellow
Bloom Time: Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov
Bloom Notes: Yellow, sometimes with maroon bases.

Distribution

USA: CA , NV , OR , WA
Native Distribution: Southwestern Washington to Baja California.
Native Habitat: Dry, open, usually grassy places, often along roadsides.

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.

Additional resources

USDA: Find Madia elegans in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Madia elegans in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Madia elegans

Metadata

Record Modified: 2022-12-29
Research By: TWC Staff

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