Madia sativa Molina
Chilean tarweed (coast tarweed)
Asteraceae (Aster family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Adolf Ceska     (Photo ID #11248)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Madia sativa
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

Species Information

General:
Aromatic annual herb from a taproot; stems erect, simple, often branched above, glandular, 0.2-1.0 m tall.
Leaves:
Basal leaves lacking; stem leaves often with clusters of smaller leaves in their axils, alternate, linear or linear-oblong, entire or slightly toothed, unstalked, glandular, 3-18 cm long, 3-12 mm wide; lower stem leaves crowded, soon deciduous.
Flowers:
Heads with ray and disk flowers, numerous in an elongate inflorescence; involucres egg-shaped or broadly urn-shaped, 6-12 mm tall; involucral bracts rounded on the back, glandular; ray flowers yellow, 8-13, 3-7 mm long; disk flowers yellow, 11-14, fertile.
Fruits:
Ray achenes flattened, 2.5-5 mm, glabrous, sometimes mottled, disk achenes sometimes 1-nerved; pappus lacking.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Illustration

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Madia sativa

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
Value / Class

Avg

Min

Max

Elevation (metres)
453 130 839
Slope Gradient (%)
43 5 84

Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]

195 30 360
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
2 0 5
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
B
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
18
Modal BEC Zone Class
CWH

All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in

CDF(2), CWH(6), ICH(1)

Habitat and Range

Dry roadsides and disturbed areas in the lowland and lower montane zones; infrequent in S BC, possibly introduced; native range from N WA to CA, disjunct in Chile.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Synonyms

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Madia capitata Nutt.
Madia sativa subsp. capitata (Nutt.) Piper
Madia sativa var. congesta Torr. & A. Gray