ASTERACEAE

SUNFLOWER FAMILY

David J. Keil, Family Editor and author, except as specified

Annual to tree
Leaves basal or cauline, alternate to whorled, simple to compound
Inflorescence: 1° inflorescence a head, each resembling a flower, 1–many, generally arrayed in cymes, generally subtended by ± calyx-like involucre; flowers 1–many per head
Flowers bisexual, unisexual, or sterile, ± small, of several types; calyx 0 or modified into pappus of bristles, scales, or awns, which is generally persistent in fruit; corolla radial or bilateral (rarely 0), lobes generally (0)4–5; stamens 4–5, anthers generally fused into cylinder around style, often appendaged at tips, bases, or both, filaments generally free, generally attached to corolla near throat; pistil 1, ovary inferior, 1-chambered, 1-seeded, style 1, branches 2, generally hair-tufted at tip, stigmas 2, generally on inside of style branches
Fruit: achene, cylindric to ovoid, generally deciduous with pappus attached
Genera in family: ± 1300 genera, 21,000 species (largest family of dicots): worldwide. Largest family in CA. Also see tribal key to CA genera: Strother 1997 Madroño 44(1):1–28. See glossary p. 25 for illustrations of general family characteristics.

MADIA

TARWEED

Annual or perennial herb, generally densely glandular, aromatic
Stems 1–several, generally simple below, ± branched above
Leaves generally opposite below, alternate above, generally linear to lanceolate, entire to slightly toothed
Inflorescence: heads generally radiate, generally peduncled, few–many; phyllaries generally 1–20, free, enclosing (and falling with) ray achenes; receptacle ± flat, generally glabrous; chaff scales generally ± fused, in ring between ray and disk flowers
Ray flowers generally 1–20, sometimes minute; ligules 2–3-lobed, generally yellow
Disk flowers 1–many, sometimes staminate; corollas yellow or maroon; anther tips triangular-ovate; style tips linear to oblong, acute, bristly
Fruit club-shaped or obovoid; ray achenes compressed, thickened, or 3-angled (1 angle toward center of head), ridged, sometimes beaked; pappus 0 or of short scales; disk achenes ± symmetric; pappus 0 or of 4–10 scales or bristles
Species in genus: 21 species: w North America, sw South America
Recent taxonomic note: *See revised taxonomy of Baldwin 1999 Novon 9:462–471.
Etymology: (Chilean name)
Reference: [Nelson & Nelson 1980 Brittonia 32:323–325]

Native

M. elegans Lindl.

COMMON MADIA

Annual 1–25 dm, strongly scented
Stems simple to branched throughout, often very leafy below, soft-hairy below, sparsely to densely stalked-glandular especially above; glands yellow to black
Leaves 2–20 cm, linear to widely lanceolate, entire or ± serrate, soft-hairy to bristly, ± glandular
Inflorescence: heads in open, rounded to ± flat-topped cymes (sometimes panicle-like); involucre 4.5–12 mm, bell-shaped to hemispheric; phyllaries ± bristly, glandular or not, tips flat; receptacle hairy; chaff scales strongly fused
Ray flowers 5–21; corolla tubes 0.5–1 mm, ligules (2.5)4–20 mm, fan-shaped, deeply lobed, yellow, base generally maroon-spotted
Disk flowers 25–50+, staminate; corollas 2.5–5 mm, yellow or maroon; anthers yellow or black
Fruit: ray achenes 2.5–5 mm, compressed side-to-side or ± 3-angled, glabrous, black or dark brown, sometimes mottled, beak 0, pappus 0; disk ovaries slender, much reduced, pappus 0
Ecology: Grassland, open forest
Elevation: < 3350 m.
Bioregional distribution: California Floristic Province (except Channel Islands), Great Basin Floristic Province
Distribution outside California: to n Oregon, Baja California
Highly variable; intermediates blur distinctions among extremes.

Native

subsp. densifolia (Greene) D.D. Keck

Plant 2.5–25 dm
Leaves: basal rosetted; cauline densely overlapping, densely soft-hairy or bristly, upper (sometimes lower) strongly glandular, hairy
Inflorescence: involucre 6–12 mm; phyllary tips often > body
Ray flowers (5)12–20; ligules generally 10–20 mm
Disk flowers 15–many; corollas yellow; anthers purple-black
Fruit: ray achenes compressed
Chromosomes: 2n=16
Ecology: Grassy slopes, valleys
Elevation: generally < 1000 m.
Bioregional distribution: California Floristic Province (except Channel Islands), Great Basin Floristic Province
Distribution outside California: to Oregon
Flowering time: Aug–Nov
Horticultural information: SUN: 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24.