ABSTRACT
Madia sativa is native to the western seaboard of North America, Mexico, Argentina, and Chile. In North America, it occurs on the Pacific Coast from British Columbia to Baja California. Coast tarweed occurs in grasslands; open areas of shrublands and woods; stream banks; and disturbed sites such as roadsides, meadows, and fencerows. In modern times, coast tarweed is grown mainly for seed oil in South America, Eurasia, and Africa. When cold-pressed, the oil is transparent, golden yellow, pleasant-smelling, with a mild, sweet, nutty, agreeable taste. Madia. sativa is a very minor edible oil crop at present. It needs considerable improvement by breeding. Like numerous wild plants, the seeds drop irregularly from the plant, making collection very difficult. Coast tarweed is a tough plant, reflected by its weediness. This annual crop requires relatively limited agricultural inputs.
