Herbs, perennial, 4–9 dm, white-woolly and long-stiff-hairy. Cotyledons deciduous, petiolate. Stems erect, clustered, unbranched or branched. Leaves cauline, some clustered at base; stipules 6–15 mm; petiole 3–20 cm; leaflets 6–11, blades 30–90 × 6–19 mm, adaxial surface pubescent. Peduncles 2–8 cm; bracts usually persistent, 3–12 mm. Racemes 8–30 cm; flowers dense, spiciform. Pedicels stout, 1–2 mm. Flowers 10–13 mm; calyx bulge or spur 0–1 mm, abaxial lobe entire, 3–8 mm, adaxial lobe 2-toothed, 3–6 mm; corolla lavender or purple to yellowish, often turning brown, banner patch yellow to brown, banner not much reflexed-recurved beyond midpoint, this less than 3 mm proximal to apex, banner densely hairy abaxially, lower keel margins glabrous, adaxial margin ciliate throughout. Legumes 2–3.6 cm, hairy. Seeds 3–6, mottled gray-tan. 2n = 24, 48.

Phenology: Flowering May–Aug.
Habitat: Grassy hillsides, sagebrush flats, glades and meadows.
Elevation: 500–2000 m.

Distribution

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B.C., Calif., Colo., Idaho, Mont., Nev., Oreg., Utah, Wash., Wyo.

Discussion

Lupinus leucophyllus is known from southern British Columbia southward to northern California and eastward to western Montana, western Wyoming, and northwestern Colorado. It is considered toxic, and can form very dense stands.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.