Madia gracilis
Gumweed, Gumweed
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Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Native
Madia gracilis (Gumweed) is a native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by urn-shaped glandular involucre, lemon-yellow rays 1.5-8mm, and panicle-like clusters.
Gumweed is a California native annual found in California Floristic Province and Great Basin regions in open, semi-shaded, or disturbed sites, including serpentine habitats, at elevations up to 2,500 meters. Flowering from April to August, this plant produces lemon-yellow or green-yellow ray flowers with dark purple disk flowers in small, inconspicuous heads. Growing 15 to 100 centimeters tall with soft to coarse-hairy stems that become glandular-hairy with yellow, purple, or black glands, it spreads with lateral branches rarely exceeding the main stem. Its leaves are narrow and elongated, 1 to 10 centimeters long and 1 to 8 millimeters wide, ranging from oblong to linear in shape. The fruit is distinctive, with ray and disk fruits that are compressed and colored black, purple, or mottled with a nearly beakless appearance.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 9 sympatric species; distinguished by urn-shaped glandular involucre, lemon-yellow rays 1.5-8mm, and panicle-like clusters
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, semi-shaded, or disturbed sites, many habitats, including serpentine
Elevation: < 2500 m
Outside California: to British Columbia, Montana, Utah, Baja California
Bloom period
Madia gracilis blooms Apr-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Anisocarpus: Madia has absolutely no pappus on disk flowers; Anisocarpus has 5-21 scales forming a pappus on disk flowers.; vs Deinandra: Madia has ray fruits completely hidden by bracts and no disk pappus; Deinandra has exposed ray fruits and disk pappus present.; vs Layia: Madia has bright yellow rays and no disk pappus; Layia often has white or bicolored rays and hairy disk pappus.; vs Hemizonia: Madia has fruits completely wrapped by bracts; Hemizonia has fruits only partly enclosed by bracts.; vs Lagophylla: Madia has yellow rays and no pappus; Lagophylla has white rays and scale-like pappus on disk flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Madia gracilis native to California?
Yes. Madia gracilis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Madia gracilis bloom?
Madia gracilis blooms Apr-Aug.
What plant family does Madia gracilis belong to?
Madia gracilis is in the Asteraceae family, genus Madia.
What habitat does Madia gracilis grow in?
Madia gracilis grows in Open, semi-shaded, or disturbed sites, many habitats, including serpentine.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.