Lupinus microcarpus

Lupinus microcarpus
Lupinus microcarpus var. densiflorus
Lupinus microcarpus var. densiflorus
Plant Info
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Lupinus
Species: L. microcarpus

Binomial name
Lupinus microcarpus
Sims

Lupinus microcarpus (Wide-bannered Lupine or Chick Lupine), is a species of lupine native to western North America from southwestern British Columbia south to the Mojave Desert in California and Baja California, and also a disjunct population in South America in central Chile and western Argentina. It grows from sea level in the north of the range, up to 1600 m in southern California.

It is an annual plant growing to 80 cm tall. The leaves are palmately compound with 5-11 leaflets 1-5 cm long and up to 1 cm broad. The flowers are generally pink to purple in color, but can also be between white and yellow; they are produced in open whorls on an erect spike.

There are three varieties:

  • Lupinus microcarpus var. densiflorus. Restricted to western California.
  • Lupinus microcarpus var. horizontalis. Restricted to southeastern California.
  • Lupinus microcarpus var. microcarpus. Widespread, British Columbia to Chile.

References