tarweed

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tar·weed

 (tär′wēd′)
n.
Any of several resinous western North American plants of the genus Madia and closely related genera of the composite family, having yellow flower heads and sticky aromatic foliage.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

tarweed

(ˈtɑːˌwiːd)
n
(Plants) a generic term for plants belonging to the sunflower family because of their resinous secretion and pungent scent
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.tarweed - any of various resinous glandular plants of the genus Madia; of western North and South America
genus Madia, Madia - genus of sticky herbs with yellow flowers open in morning or evening but closed in bright light
Chile tarweed, madia oil plant, Madia sativa, melosa - South American herb with sticky glandular foliage; source of madia oil
herb, herbaceous plant - a plant lacking a permanent woody stem; many are flowering garden plants or potherbs; some having medicinal properties; some are pests
2.tarweed - any of various western American plants of the genus Grindelia having resinous leaves and stems formerly used medicinallytarweed - any of various western American plants of the genus Grindelia having resinous leaves and stems formerly used medicinally; often poisonous to livestock
gum plant, gumweed, rosinweed
genus Grindelia, Grindelia - large genus of coarse gummy herbs of western North and Central America
Grindelia robusta - perennial gumweed of California and Baja California
curlycup gumweed, Grindelia squarrosa - perennial gumweed of western and central North America
herb, herbaceous plant - a plant lacking a permanent woody stem; many are flowering garden plants or potherbs; some having medicinal properties; some are pests
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
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References in periodicals archive ?
New combinations and new genera in the North American tarweeds (Compositae-Madiinae).
Lessons on Evolution from the Study of Edaphic Specialization
The resin emits a strong aromatic odor that resembles the smell of tarweeds. The flowerheads are 0.2 to 0.3 inch (5 to 7 millimeters) in diameter and consist of short yellow ray flowers on the outer edge and yellow to reddish disk flowers in the center.
Stinkwort is rapidly expanding its range in California
Thus, coverage is broad taxonomically, geographically, and topographically, though a plethora of other spectacular cases (e.g., the Hawaiian honeycreepers and tarweeds, Macaronesian sow-thistles and buglosses, Caribbean birds, and Sea of Cortez lizards) might merit full treatment in a second volume.
Evolution on Islands
The California tarweeds, 99 species of scrubby plants that Kyhos says most people "probably would walk right by" without noticing, resemble Hawaii's silverswords in several important ways.
From tarweed to silversword: Hawaiian plants with California roots challenge botanical dogma
Carr (eds.), Tarweeds and silverswords: evolution of the Madiinae (Asteraceae).
Caribbean Island asteraceae: systematics, molecules, and conservation on a biodiversity hotspot

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