My prevous post A Yellow Invasion described a plant that started growing in huge numbers in our back field, and whose name I did not know. I was excited to see an article in the local newsletter that identified these flowers. They are Common Madia.
The sticky stems attract and trap small insects which then become food for larger insects. The flowers are favored by day-time pollinators and are also the larval food plant of the day-flying owlet moth.
The sticky stem helps retain moisture, but because their flowers are not sticky, they tend to curl up when it gets hot. That also explains why, when I picked a few and brought them indoors, they curled up immediately. They are not indoor flowers.
Although most have died, there are still a few late bloomers.
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