madia

Madia is a genus of flowering plants in the Asteraceae family, commonly known as tarweeds. Native to western North America, the genus includes about 20 species. Members are annuals or short-lived perennials with sticky, resinous stems and sometimes scented leaves. Leaves are alternately arranged, typically lanceolate to oblanceolate, and may be hairy or glabrous. The plants produce inflorescences that are loose panicles of heads. Each head typically contains several tubular florets, usually yellow to golden, and is subtended by several series of involucral bracts. In many species ray florets are absent, giving the heads a uniform appearance. The fruit is an achene, often with a simple pappus that aids wind dispersal. One well-known species is Madia elegans, the elegant tarweed, common in California and nearby regions.

Madia species are widespread in dry, open habitats across western North America, including grasslands, chaparral, sagebrush shrublands, and coastal regions, from British Columbia to Baja California and into the southwestern United States. They are adapted to Mediterranean-type climates with dry summers.

Ecologically, tarweeds are insect-pollinated; they bloom mainly in late spring to summer. They can form part of disturbed or open habitats and sometimes contribute to post-fire succession. Seed dispersal is primarily by wind, aided by the pappus.