Common Tarweed, Grassy Tarplant, Grassy Tarweed, Gum-weed, Slender Tarweed: Madia gracilis (Synonyms: Madia gracilis ssp. gracilis, Madia dissitiflora)

The photo above shows an above view of a flower head of slender tarweed. Notice the smal number of disk flowers as well as the tri-lobed ray flowers. Except where noted, the photos on this page were all taken at a rock quarry at about 4100' atop the ridge dividing the Dairy Creek and Cougar Creek drainages at the southeastern corner of Mt. Adams.........July 11, 2005.

The photo above shows a good close-up view of the ovoid or urn-shaped heads. Note the gland-tipped hairs which are primarily found within the inflorescence or at most, on the upper portion of the plant. Photographed on the Elowah Falls Trail in the western Columbia River Gorge........July 14, 2006. The flower heads of lemon-scented tarweed (Madia citriodora) look similar but have far fewer glandular hairs on the involucral bracts while having numerous long hairs which are ascending to somewhat spreading.

The upper stem and stem leaf of slender tarweed. Notice the many spreading hairs, some of which are capped with brownish glands.

The photo above shows a stem leaf of slender tarweed as seen along the Elowah Falls Trail in the western Columbia River Gorge........July 14, 2006.

Additional close-ups of the flower head of slender tarweed as seen at the parking area for Catherine Creek, Klickitat County, WA..........May 20, 2011.