Lupinus latifolius
Syn. Lupini, 18. 1835.
Herbs, perennial, 3–24 dm, not fleshy, green, glabrous or hairy. Cotyledons deciduous, petiolate. Stems erect or spreading, branched or unbranched. Leaves cauline, basal when present withered by anthesis; stipules 5–10 mm; petiole 4–20 cm; leaflets 5–11, blades 40–100 × 6–24 mm, abaxial surface ± hairy, adaxial surface glabrous or hairy. Peduncles 8–20 cm; bracts deciduous, 8–12 mm. Racemes 16–60 cm; flowers whorled or spirally arranged. Pedicels 2–12 mm. Flowers 8–18 mm; calyx abaxial lobe entire or notched, 4–8 mm, adaxial lobe entire or 2-toothed, 5–10 mm; corolla blue or purple to white, banner patch usually white to yellowish turning purple, banner glabrous abaxially, lower keel margins usually ciliate, adaxial margin ciliate from claw to middle. Legumes 2–4.5 cm, ± densely hairy. Seeds 6–10, mottled dark brown, 3–4 mm.
Distribution
w North America, nw Mexico.
Discussion
Varieties 5 (5 in the flora).
Various authors have differed in their circumscriptions of Lupinus latifolius. For example, P. K. Vaughn and D. B. Dunn (1977) recognized three varieties, D. Isely (1998) recognized six varieties, and C. L. Hitchcock et al. (1955–1969, vol. 3) recognized three varieties. The most conservative approach has been taken here by recognizing taxa that have the clearest characteristics, but that approach might not reflect phylogeny. Research is needed to clarify the varieties and particularly the relationships among L. latifolius and L. arcticus, L. perennis, and L. polyphyllus.
Lupinus latifolius is known to cause birth defects in livestock (R. F. Keeler et al. 1977).
Selected References
None.
Lower Taxa
Key
| 1 | Flowers 8–14 mm. | > 2 |
| 2 | Flowers 10–14(–16) mm. | Lupinus latifolius var. latifolius |
| 2 | Flowers 8–10(–12) mm. | Lupinus latifolius var. viridifolius |
| 1 | Flowers 12–18 mm. | > 3 |
| 3 | Stems densely hairy, not hollow; San Francisco Bay area, California. | Lupinus latifolius var. dudleyi |
| 3 | Stems glabrate or sparsely strigose, hollow; sw California or n Oregon to British Columbia. | > 4 |
| 4 | Herbs 5–20 dm, caudex often unbranched; Arizona, California. | Lupinus latifolius var. parishii |
| 4 | Herbs 2.5–6 dm, caudex branched; n Oregon to British Columbia. | Lupinus latifolius var. subalpinus |