Herbs, perennial, 3–7 dm, green, hairy. Cotyledons decid­uous, petiolate. Stems erect, un­branched or branched distally, hollow. Leaves basal and cau­line, green; stipules 5–20 mm; basal petioles 10–25 cm, cauline 1–4 cm; leaflets 5–10, blades 30–80(–130) × 5–8 mm, adaxial surface strigose, hairs less than 1 mm. Peduncles 4–17 cm; bracts persistent, 5–10 mm. Racemes 5–28 cm, usually exceeding leaves; flowers dense. Pedicels 1–3 mm. Flowers 10–12 mm; calyx bulge or spur 0–1 mm, abaxial lobe entire, 5–6 mm, adaxial lobe 2-toothed, 4–7 mm; corolla violet to dark blue, banner patch orange to red, banner usually glabrous abaxially, rarely hairy, lower keel margins glabrous, adaxial margin densely ciliate. Legumes 1.5–2 cm, hairy to woolly. Seeds 4–6, brown, mottled tan, 3–4 mm.

Phenology: Flowering May–Sep.
Habitat: Meadows, stream banks, sagebrush scrub to subalpine forests.
Elevation: 2000–3500 m.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Calif.

Discussion

Lupinus pratensis is known from the southern Sierra Nevada in Fresno, Inyo, Mono, and Tulare counties. Plants from Big Pine Creek in Inyo County with banners that are hairy abaxially have been called var. eriostachyus.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.