Kingdom Plantae Family Fabaceae Tribe Genisteae Rank Species | Order Fabales Subfamily Faboideae Genus Lupinus | |
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Similar Lupinus latifolius, Lupinus breweri, Lupinus albicaulis, Lupinus argenteus, Lupinus arbustus | ||
Lupinus lepidus, the Pacific lupine, prairie lupine or dwarf lupine is a perennial herbaceous plant in the pea family (Fabaceae) endemic to western North America.
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Habitat and range
In western North America, Lupinus lepidus may be found in open areas from low prairie, open montane forest, to the alpine. Although rare in British Columbia, its range extends south from Alaska to southern California and eastward to the Rocky Mountains. In California, it is mainly a species of meadows and areas that are moist during the spring growing season in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, from 4,900 to 9,800 feet (1,500 to 3,000 m).
Description
Lupinus lepidus is a small hairy perennial that reaches 4 to 24 inches (10 to 61 cm). Leaves extend up the stem, but most are basal. Leaves are palmately compound with 5-8 green-gray leaflets less than 1 1⁄2 inches (3.8 cm). The inflorescense is a dense spikelike raceme, with pink, purple, and blue flowers having a yellowish spot. The plant blooms from mid-April through August. The fruit is a pod up to 3⁄4 inch (1.9 cm).