Madia sativa

Madia sativa is a species of flowering plant in the aster family known by the common names coast tarweed and Chilean tarweed. It is native to the Americas, where it is distributed in two main areas: the west coast of North America from Alaska and British Columbia to Baja California, and Chile and Argentina. It grows in many types of habitat, including disturbed areas. In North America it is most common on coastal grassland and nearby areas. This is an annual herb varying in size from 20 centimeters tall to well over two meters, the leafy stem branching or not. It is coated densely in sticky resin glands and it has a strong unpleasant scent. The hairy leaves are linear or lance-shaped, the lowest up to 18 centimeters long. The flower cluster is generally a cluster of flower heads lined with bristly, hairy phyllaries. Each head bears approximately 8 yellowish ray florets a few millimeters long around a center of several disc florets tipped with dark anthers. The fruit is a flat, hairless achene with no pappus. This plant has been grown for its seed oil.