Flora of North America species comparison

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Lupinus microcarpus

Lupinus

chick lupine, wide-bannered lupine

bluebonnet, lupine
Habit Herbs, annual, 1–8 dm, sparsely to densely pubescent. Herbs, annual, biennial, or perennial, shrubs, or subshrubs, unarmed; usually from taproots or woody crowns, rarely rhizomes.
Stems

ascending or erect, branched near base or middle, or unbranched, hollow, at least near base.

erect to decumbent or prostrate, branched or unbranched, usually pubescent, sometimes glabrous.
Leaves

cauline;

petiole 3–15 cm;

leaflets 5–9(–11), blades 10–50 × 2–12 mm, adaxial surface glabrous.

alternate, usually palmately compound, rarely 3-foliolate or unifoliolate, usually cauline, sometimes crowded near base or basal;

stipules present, setaceous, adnate to petiole;

petiolate;

leaflets (1 or 3)4–11(–17), stipels absent, blade margins entire, surfaces glabrous or pubescent.
Racemes

4–60 cm;

flowers in crowded to widely spaced whorls.

Inflorescences

3–100+-flowered, terminal, racemes, erect, rarely axillary and reduced to 1 or 2 flowers, flowers spirally arranged or whorled;

bracts present, persistent or deciduous.
Peduncles

2–30 cm;

bracts persistent, reflexed, 3.5–12 mm.

Pedicels

0.5–5 mm.

Flowers

8–18 mm;

calyx appendages usually absent, sometimes present, abaxial lobe 5–11 mm, adaxial lobe 2–6 mm;

corolla white to dark yellow, pink to dark rose, or lavender to purple, lower wing margins sometimes ciliate, upper margins usually ciliate near claw, upper keel margins usually ciliate near claw, lower margins sometimes ciliate but not as densely.

papilionaceous, chasmogamous;

calyx bilabiate, lobes connate, entire or toothed, usually with appendages (often inconspicuous) between lobes;

corolla usually blue to purple, sometimes white, yellow, pink or rose;

banner with central groove, sides reflexed;

wings connivent at tips, corrugated;

keel usually attenuate;

stamens 10, monadelphous;

anthers basifixed, dimorphic, alternately long on short filaments, short on long filaments;

style brushy.
Fruits

legumes, sessile, straight, laterally compressed, usually oblong, splitting along both margins, valves usually twisted after dehiscence, usually pubescent, rarely glabrous.
Legumes

1–1.8 cm, pubescent.

Cotyledons

persistent or deciduous (leaving circular scar), disclike, sessile.

usually deciduous, usually petiolate.
Seeds

2, tan to brown, usually mottled, ridged or smooth.

(1 or)2–12, usually smooth, rarely ridged or tuberculate, spheric, lentiform, or angulate.
x

= 6.

Lupinus microcarpus

Lupinus
Distribution
from USDA
w North America; nw Mexico; South America
[WildflowerSearch map]
from USDA
North America; Mexico; South America; Europe (Mediterranean); Africa [Introduced in Asia (China), s Africa, Atlantic Islands (Iceland), Pacific Islands (New Zealand), Australia]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Lupinus microcarpus is highly variable and with varieties intergrading.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Species ca. 270 (88 in the flora).

Most species of Lupinus occur in western North America and western South America. C. P. Smith (1944, 1938–1953) assigned North American lupines to subg. Lupinus and subg. Platycarpos S. Watson based on cotyledon structure (sessile versus petiolate) and 22 groups based on life span, flower arrangement, keel ciliation, and banner and wing pubescence, as well as some vegetative features.

The taxonomy of Lupinus is complicated. Thousands of names have been coined for lupines; circumscription is difficult, made problematic by the vast number of species recognized, then lumped and split in various ways by different taxonomists. Some authors (for example, D. B. Dunn 1955, 1959) discussed widespread hybridization in the genus. Some studies have indicated that gene flow and introgression through outcrossing in perennial species does occur (A. Liston et al. 1995). Perennial species have shown a preponderance of interbreeding groups that have resulted in gradients of characters.

Self-pollination is known to occur in annual species of Lupinus, which has resulted in the establishment of localized variants that have been recognized as distinct species. For example, L. affinis, L. guadalupensis, and L. spectabilis could easily be regarded as localized variants of L. nanus.

Phylogenetic analyses of molecular data for Lupinus included 50 North American species (C. S. Drummond et al. 2012). The species were assigned to three infrageneric lineages. One lineage included two species from Florida that have unifoliate leaves and 2n = 52. The second lineage included two 2n = 36 annual species from Texas that corresponds to group Subcarnosi sensu Smith. The third lineage included 44 species of western North American annuals and perennials having 2n = 48. This lineage comprised two sister clades: one clade of seven species with sessile cotyledons that corresponds to subg. Platycarpos, and a second clade of 37 species with petiolate cotyledons. Within the second clade, annual species are sister to the derived perennials (24 species) which have colonized and diversified in montane habitats. While these studies provide insight into the evolution and biogeography of Lupinus, they have not resulted in a phylogenetic classification, and have not clarified relationships among the western North American taxa.

Many species of Lupinus contain alkaloids, especially in their seeds, fruits, and young leaves, that are toxic to livestock, especially sheep (G. Boschin and D. Resta 2013). These include L. arboreus, L. latifolius, and L. leucophyllus (M. Wink et al. 1995).

Lupinus albus Linnaeus and L. luteus Linnaeus, both European species that are sometimes cultivated, were each collected once as waifs in Florida. Lupinus angustifolius Linnaeus, another European species that is sometimes cultivated, has been collected as a waif in British Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maine, and South Carolina.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Key
1. Wings broadly elliptic, persistent and becoming translucent, upper and usually lower margins ciliate near claw; lower keel margins ciliate near claw; calyx appendages 1–2 mm.
var. horizontalis
1. Wings linear to oblanceolate, withering, not becoming translucent, upper margins usually ciliate near claw, lower rarely; lower keel margins sometimes ciliate near claw or sparsely so; calyx appendages usually absent.
→ 2
2. Calyx and flower bracts with long shaggy hairs; legumes usually erect or spreading.
var. microcarpus
2. Calyx and flower bracts with few short and appressed, or long and spreading hairs; legumes usually secund, sometimes spreading.
var. densiflorus
1. Leaves appearing simple, unifoliolate.
→ 2
2. Stipules 9–15 mm (occurring only on very new growth, abortive or early deciduous).
L. westianus
2. Stipules 20–150 mm.
→ 3
3. Banner spot white to cream, corollas light to deep blue, limb centrally white at base.
L. diffusus
3. Banner spot maroon, corollas lilac to reddish purple or pink.
L. villosus
1. Leaves palmately compound.
→ 4
4. Herbs annual.
→ 5
5. Cotyledons sessile, connate into a persistent disc or cup (if deciduous, leaving a circular scar); legumes usually ovoid, sometimes oblong; seeds 1 or 2(–6), usually tuberculate, ridged, or wrinkled, sometimes smooth.
→ 6
6. Flowers in crowded or widely spaced whorls; bracts reflexed; upper keel margins ciliate near claw.
→ 7
7. Stems hard, rigid; lower keel margins as densely ciliate as upper; leaflets usually pubescent adaxially, rarely glabrous; seeds dark brown, tuber­culate.
L. luteolus
7. Stems hollow at least near base; lower keel margins not as densely ciliate as upper or glabrous; leaflets glabrous adaxially; seeds usually mottled, ridged or smooth.
L. microcarpus
6. Flowers usually spirally arranged or 1 or 2 (except L. malacophyllus crowded with proximal ones whorled becoming spirally arranged distally); bracts straight; keel margins glabrous.
→ 8
8. Leaves basal; herbage usually glabrous, sometimes sparsely pubescent when young, rarely at anthesis; pedicels 3–5 mm.
L. odoratus
8. Leaves cauline (often crowded near base); herbage sparsely pubescent to canescent or pilose; pedicles 0.5–3(–4) mm.
→ 9
9. Racemes (1 or)2-flowered, axillary; free blades of stipules reduced, ca. 1 mm; leaflets 2–7 mm.
L. uncialis
9. Racemes several–many-flowered, terminal; free blades of stipules well developed; leaflets 7–30 mm.
→ 10
10. Herbage canescent, hairs 0.6–1 mm; legumes undulate, sides with short inflated hairs becoming scaly when dry.
L. shockleyi
10. Herbage hairs appressed or spreading, more than 1 mm; legumes not obviously undulate, thinly pilose to coarsely hirsute.
→ 11
11. Adaxial calyx lobe more than 1/2 as long as abaxial.
L. kingii
11. Adaxial calyx lobe less than 1/2 as long as abaxial.
→ 12
12. Proximalmost flowers whorled, becoming spirally arranged distally; w Nevada.
L. malacophyllus
12. All flowers spirally arranged; Kansas westward to California (L. pusillus extending into Alberta and Saskatchewan).
→ 13
13. Pedicels 0.3–1.5 mm; racemes dense; seeds smooth.
L. brevicaulis
13. Pedicels to 3 mm; racemes usually elongate; seeds wrinkled or ridged.
→ 14
14. Leaves crowded near base; legumes ovoid, adaxial margin not constricted between seeds.
L. flavoculatus
14. Leaves well distributed along stems; legumes oblong, adaxial margin constricted between seeds.
L. pusillus
5. Cotyledons petiolate, usually withering and deciduous; legumes oblong; seeds usually more than 2, smooth.
→ 15
15. Lower (and often upper) keel margins ciliate near claw, glabrous near apex.
→ 16
16. Flowers distinctly whorled; corollas usually blue-purple, rarely white, lavender, or pink.
L. succulentus
16. Flowers spirally arranged; corollas yellow, white, pink to magenta, or blue to purple.
→ 17
17. Racemes shorter than peduncles; banners yellow, wings usually pink, rarely white, keel petals white.
L. stiversii
17. Racemes longer than peduncles; corollas usually yellow, white, dark pink, blue, or magenta, rarely pinkish.
→ 18
18. Corollas golden yellow or white; pedicels becoming recurved.
L. citrinus
18. Corollas usually blue or dark pink to magenta, rarely pinkish; pedicels not recurved.
→ 19
19. Herbage with appressed, stiff, stinging hairs; leaflets 10–20 mm wide.
L. hirsutissimus
19. Herbage without appressed, stiff, stinging hairs; leaflets 1.5–10 mm wide.
→ 20
20. Petioles flat, leafletlike; keel stout, blunt, upper margins ciliate from claw to middle.
L. truncatus
20. Petioles not flat or leafletlike; keel pointed, upper margins usually glabrous (except L. sparsiflorus often ciliate near claw).
→ 21
21. Pedicels 5–9 mm; bracts 10–15 mm, longer than buds.
L. benthamii
21. Pedicels 2–4 mm; bracts 3–8 mm, shorter than to slightly longer than buds.
→ 22
22. Leaflets 5–10 mm wide, glabrous adaxially; corollas dark pink to magenta.
L. arizonicus
22. Leaflets 2–4 mm wide, pubescent adaxially at least near margins; corollas usually blue, rarely pinkish.
L. sparsiflorus
15. Lower and upper keel margins glabrous near claw, upper margins ciliate near apex, or glabrous.
→ 23
23. Flowers spirally arranged; keel margins glabrous.
→ 24
24. Primary peduncles and lateral branches decumbent; coastal dunes in San Luis Obispo County, California.
L. nipomensis
24. Primary peduncles erect, lateral branches sometimes tufted or spreading; Arizona, California, Florida, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah.
→ 25
25. Pubescence of stems and petioles spreading; leaflets pubescent; Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah.
L. concinnus
25. Pubescence of stems and petioles mostly appressed or ascending; leaflets sparsely pubescent or glabrous adaxially; Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas.
→ 26
26. Racemes 18–45 cm; trans-Pecos Texas.
L. havardii
26. Racemes 2–12 cm; Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, c, e, s Texas.
→ 27
27. Wing petals inflated; corollas pale blue-violet; calyx hairs becoming yellowish gray or brown on dried material; legumes yellowish gray- or brown-villous; Texas.
L. subcarnosus
27. Wing petals flat; corollas usually dark blue, rarely white; calyx hairs silvery; legumes white silky-villous; Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas.
L. texensis
23. Flowers whorled at some or all nodes; upper keel margins usually ciliate near apex (except L. pachylobus glabrous).
→ 28
28. Banners longer than wide; pedicels 1–3.5 mm.
→ 29
29. Legumes usually less than 0.6 cm wide; upper keel margins usually ciliate near apex; Arizona, British Columbia, California, Oregon, Washington.
L. bicolor
29. Legumes 0.6–0.9 cm wide; upper keel margins glabrous; California, Washington.
L. pachylobus
28. Banners wider than or equaling length; pedicels 2.5–8 mm.
→ 30
30. Upper keel margins with a tooth near middle.
L. affinis
30. Upper keel margins without a tooth.
→ 31
31. Legumes less than 0.7 cm wide.
L. nanus
31. Legumes 0.8–1 cm wide.
→ 32
32. Pedicels 4–5 mm; herbage sparsely pubescent; San Clemente Island, California.
L. guadalupensis
32. Pedicels 6–8 mm; herbage densely hairy; central Sierra Nevada foothills, California.
L. spectabilis
4. Herbs or shrubs, usually perennial, rarely biennial.
→ 33
33. Rhizomes present, patch forming; east of Rocky Mountains.
L. perennis
33. Rhizomes usually not present, or if present (L. formosus) then west of Rocky Mountains.
→ 34
34. Upper keel margins ciliate near claw or only from claw to middle (glabrous middle to tip).
→ 35
35. Herbs annual, sometimes persisting, fleshy; racemes 15–25 cm; legumes.
→ 3
3. 5–5 cm; plants of open or disturbed areas, roadbanks.
L. succulentus
35. Herbs perennial, not fleshy; racemes 16–60 cm; legumes 2–4.5 cm; plants of moist areas, open woodlands.
L. latifolius
34. Upper keel margins usually glabrous or ciliate throughout, or ciliate from middle to tip.
→ 36
36. Calyx spur 1–3 mm.
→ 37
37. Wings with dense hair patch outside near tip; leaflets strigose adaxially.
L. arbustus
37. Wings glabrous; leaflets glabrous or hairy (but not strigose) adaxially.
L. argenteus
36. Calyx not spurred or bulge or spur 0–1 mm.
→ 38
38. Banners usually hairy abaxially (except usually glabrous in L. pratensis and L. sulphureus, best seen in bud).
→ 39
39. Upper keel margins ± glabrous.
→ 40
40. Subshrubs or shrubs, matted, 2–4 dm.
L. albifrons
40. Shrubs or herbs, not matted, (2–)4–20 dm.
→ 41
41. Shrubs; plants of coastal strands, dunes.
L. chamissonis
41. Perennial herbs; plants of volcanic or dry soils, pine forests, Great Basin or riparian scrub, coniferous forests.
→ 42
42. Adaxial surface of leaflets glabrous or pubescent and green.
→ 43
43. Corollas usually pale yellow to orange-yellow, some­times white; bracts ± persistent.
L. angustiflorus
43. Corollas usually purple, sometimes pink or white; bracts deciduous.
L. apertus
42. Adaxial surface of leaflets tomentose, pubescent, or vil­lous, hairs silvery.
→ 44
44. Corollas usually yellow; herbs 2–5 dm.
L. dalesiae
44. Corollas creamy yellow to pale yellow, or lavender to blue; herbs 5–9 dm.
→ 45
45. Corollas lavender to blue; stem hairs short-silky; elevation 1500–3000 m.
L. elatus
45. Corollas creamy yellow to pale yellow; stems long-villous; elevation 2500–4000 m.
L. padrecrowleyi
39. Upper keel margins usually ciliate.
→ 46
46. Subshrubs or shrubs.
→ 47
47. Raceme rachises deciduous, 8–30 cm; petioles 2–4 cm; chaparral, foothill wood­lands, cismontane California; 0–1500 m.
L. albifrons
47. Raceme rachises persistent, 10–70 cm; petioles 4–10 cm; deserts, transmontane California; (700–)1200–2700 m.
L. excubitus
46. Perennial herbs (sometimes subshrubs in L. breweri).
→ 48
48. Leaflets 10–30 mm wide.
→ 49
49. Corollas yellow; San Gabriel Mountains, California.
L. peirsonii
49. Corollas usually ± purple to violet or light blue, rarely pink or pale yellow; British Columbia to San Luis Obispo County, California, eastward to Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado.
→ 50
50. Bracts persistent; British Columbia to Klamath Ranges and Modoc Plateau, California, eastward to Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado.
L. leucophyllus
50. Bracts deciduous; Inner North Coast Ranges and Santa Lucia Mountains, California.
→ 51
51. Peduncles 13–20 cm; leaflets long spreading-hairy; corollas light blue, pink, or pale yellow; Santa Lucia Mountains, California.
L. cervinus
51. Peduncles 8–15 cm; leaflets densely silky; corollas purple to violet; Inner North Coast Ranges, California.
L. sericatus
48. Leaflets 2–10(–17) mm wide.
→ 52
52. Herbs to 2 dm.
→ 53
53. Flowers in dense, crowded whorls; elevation 2000–3500 m.
L. breweri
53. Flowers in few, separated whorls; elevation 1500–3000 m.
L. lapidicola
52. Herbs or subshrubs 1–10(–15) dm.
→ 54
54. Basal and cauline leaves present at flowering.
→ 55
55. Bracts persistent; leaflets 30–80(–130) mm, pubescent adaxially.
→ 56
56. Leaflets silvery.
L. leucophyllus
56. Leaflets green.
L. pratensis
55. Bracts deciduous or tardily deciduous; leaflets 10–35(–60) mm, glabrous or pubescent adaxially.
→ 57
57. Corollas pale sulfur yellow, blue, or white.
L. sulphureus
57. Corollas usually deep purple to light blue, sometimes violet, pink, or white, banner patch yellow to cream or absent.
→ 58
58. Flowers (6–)9–12(–14) mm; herbs 2.5–4 dm; stems erect or ascending, clustered; proximal petioles (5–)7–9(–15) cm; leaf­let hairs silky hairy, not tomentose or woolly.
L. argenteus
58. Flowers 10–16 mm; herbs 2–3.5 dm; stems prostrate to mat­ted; petioles 5–12 cm; leaflet hairs ± spreading, dense, tomen­tose to woolly.
L. grayi
54. Basal leaves absent at flowering or, when present, then petioles less than 3 times as long as leaflets.
→ 59
59. Banners not much reflexed-recurved beyond midpoint, this less than 3 mm proximal to apex; pedicels 1–2.5 mm.
L. argenteus
59. Banners well reflexed-recurved at or proximal to midpoint, this 3.5–6 mm proximal to apex; pedicels 2–8 mm.
→ 60
60. Herbs 1.5–3 dm; leaves cauline; leaflets 20–50 mm, silvery-silky adaxially.
L. obtusilobus
60. Herbs 2–10 dm; leaves cauline and sometimes clustered at base; leaflets 15–60(–90) mm, silky-villous or tomentose to woolly adaxially.
→ 61
61. Leaflets tomentose to woolly, hairs ± spreading, dense; flowers 10–15 mm; corollas bluish to purple; banner glabrous or hairy abaxially.
L. ludovicianus
61. Leaflets usually silky; flowers 8–14(–18) mm; corollas pale purple to bright blue, sometimes yellowish or whitish; banner silky-hairy abaxially.
L. sericeus
38. Banner usually glabrous abaxially (hairy in some varieties of L. albifrons, L. argenteus).
→ 62
62. Subshrubs or shrubs.
→ 63
63. Petioles greater than 3 cm; plants usually inland in California, Oregon.
→ 64
64. Subshrubs or shrubs; stems decumbent to prostrate-ascending.
L. albifrons
64. Shrubs; stems erect.
L. longifolius
63. Petioles often 3 cm or less, rarely to 6 cm; plants of coastal bluffs, dunes, beaches in British Columbia, California, Oregon, Washington.
→ 65
65. Shrubs, usually 5–20 dm; stems ascending or erect; immediate coast and more inland.
L. arboreus
65. Subshrubs, 2–5 dm; stems prostrate to decumbent; immediate coast.
L. littoralis
62. Perennial herbs, rarely woody at base.
→ 66
66. Leaflets glabrous or sparsely hairy adaxially, appearing green.
→ 67
67. Upper keel margins glabrous.
→ 68
68. Corollas pale or bright yellow to orange-yellow; California.
→ 69
69. Bracts 2–7 mm; herbs 4–6 dm; corollas bright yellow to orange-yellow.
L. croceus
69. Bracts 7–14 mm; herbs 6–9 dm; corollas pale yellow.
L. elmeri
68. Corollas blue to purple, violet, lavender, pink, or white (may fade pale yellow to white in L. tracyi); widely distributed, including California.
→ 70
70. Leaves basal and cauline.
→ 71
71. Banners distinctly ruffled, markedly concave on lateral face; keel margins glabrous.
L. oreganus
71. Banners smooth, not ruffled; keel margins ciliate.
L. polyphyllus
70. Leaves cauline.
→ 72
72. Flowers (11–)15–21 mm; Alaska, Canada, and Greenland.
L. nootkatensis
72. Flowers 8–10(–12) mm; California and Oregon.
L. tracyi
67. Upper keel margins ciliate (sometimes sparsely so in L. onustus).
→ 73
73. Herbs greater than 3.5 dm; leaves all cauline, no leaves clustered at base.
→ 74
74. Leaflets long-villous abaxially, glabrous or glabrate adaxially; pet­ioles 2–10 cm; flowers (11–)15–21 mm; Alaska, British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador (Newfoundland), Nova Scotia.
L. nootkatensis
74. Leaflets glabrous or partly glabrate; petioles 3–5 cm; flowers 12–16 mm; California to British Columbia 12–16 mm; California to British Columbia.
L. rivularis
73. Herbs less than 3.5 dm; leaves basal and cauline, or cauline and clustered near base.
→ 75
75. Herbs rhizomatous (from slender, underground rootstock); flowers 8–11 mm, bracts 3–4 mm; leaflets silky-hairy abaxially; California, s Oregon.
L. onustus
75. Herbs not rhizomatous; flowers 9–20 mm; bracts (3–)4–14 mm; leaflets hairy abaxially but not silky-hairy; Alaska to Nunavut, southward to California, eastward to New Mexico.
→ 76
76. Caudices subterranean; divisions rhizomelike; Colorado, n New Mexico, Utah.
L. polyphyllus
76. Caudices superficial; divisions closely tufted; Alaska to Nunavut, southward to California, eastward to Colorado.
→ 77
77. Largest leaflets 35–110 mm.
L. polyphyllus
77. Largest leaflets 10–40(–50) mm.
→ 78
78. Herbs 1–4 dm; Alaska and Canada.
L. arcticus
78. Herbs (2–)3–6.5 dm; Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington.
L. polyphyllus
66. Leaflets hairy, appearing greenish gray to silver adaxially.
→ 79
79. Bracts usually persistent; racemes usually dense (except L. covillei loose, spirally arranged, sometimes whorled).
→ 80
80. Leaflets 5–40 mm.
L. lepidus
80. Leaflets (30–)40–110(–130) mm.
→ 81
81. Leaves all cauline, leaflets villous, hairs greater than 1 mm; racemes loose (flowers whorled or spirally arranged); corollas light blue.
L. covillei
81. Leaves basal and cauline, leaflets strigose, hairs less than 1 mm; racemes dense; corollas violet to dark blue.
L. pratensis
79. Bracts usually ± deciduous (except L. covillei and L. kuschei); racemes ± open (spirally arranged or whorled).
→ 82
82. Upper keel margins usually glabrous, sometimes ciliate.
→ 83
83. Herbs or subshrubs, 0.5–2 dm; flowers 4–11 mm; keel ± straight.
→ 84
84. Petioles 1–3(–4) cm; stems prostrate, forming mats; stipules 2–5 mm; pedicels 1–3(–4) mm; plants of subalpine to alpine montane forests; California, Nevada, Oregon.
L. breweri
84. Petioles (2–)3–6(–8) cm; stems forming robust, dense tufts; stipules 6–11 mm; pedicels (2–)4–5 mm; plants of pumice gravel flats; California (Mono County).
L. duranii
83. Herbs, (1.5–)2–15 dm; flowers (8–)9–18 mm; keel usually upcurved.
→ 85
85. Stipules usually leaflike, lanceolate, green.
L. fulcratus
85. Stipules not leaflike, setaceous, green to silvery.
→ 86
86. Corollas usually yellow to orange-yellow, rarely lavender or violet.
→ 87
87. Flowers 9–12 mm; corollas pale yellowish to lavender or violet; California, Oregon.
L. adsurgens
87. Flowers 12–15 mm; corollas bright yellow to orange-yellow; California.
L. croceus
86. Corollas usually blue, lavender, violet, purple, pink, rarely white or yellowish.
→ 88
88. Leaves basal and cauline; plants of moist or wet places.
→ 89
89. Flowers 10–13 mm; plants of sand dunes, roadsides, sandy woods; s Alaska to n British Columbia.
L. kuschei
89. Flowers 9–15 mm; plants of moist to wet places; California.
L. polyphyllus
88. Leaves cauline; plants of dry places.
→ 90
90. Banners narrow, wings narrow, not covering keel tip.
L. albicaulis
90. Banners ovate, wings wide, covering keel tip.
→ 91
91. Leaflet blades green, sparsely to densely hairy.
→ 92
92. Flowers 9–12 mm; California, Nevada, Oregon.
L. andersonii
92. Flowers 13–16 mm; California.
L. hyacinthinus
91. Leaflet blades gray-hairy to silvery-silky.
→ 93
93. Herbs rhizomatous; plants usually of valleys, grass­lands; elevation 0–1500 m.
L. formosus
93. Herbs not rhizomatous; plants of mountains, forests; 500–3500 m.
→ 94
94. Corollas white with banner patch turning tawny; seeds 7–11 mm; California (Anthony Peak, Mendocino County).
L. antoninus
94. Corollas pale yellowish to lavender or violet and banner patch yellow to white, or lavender to blue and banner patch pale yellowish; seeds 4–6 mm; California, Oregon.
→ 95
95. Leaflet blade adaxial surfaces appressed hairy to ± silky to dull green; bracts 2–8 mm; flowers 9–12 mm; corollas pale yellow to lavender or violet; California, Oregon.
L. adsurgens
95. Leaflets blade adaxial surfaces densely silver-silky to woolly; bracts 6–11 mm; flowers 10–14 mm; corollas lavender to blue; California.
L. elatus
82. Upper keel margins ciliate.
→ 96
96. Herbs 0.1–3.5(–5) dm; stems usually ± prostrate to decumbent, rarely ascending.
→ 97
97. Corollas pink; California (Humboldt and Trinity counties).
L. constancei
97. Corollas purple, ± violet, lavender, rose, light blue, yellow, or white; Arizona, British Columbia, California.
→ 98
98. Leaves cauline.
→ 99
99. Leaflets 5–9; stems not weak; British Columbia to California.
L. littoralis
99. Leaflets 3–5; stems weak; California (Marin, Monterey, Sonoma counties).
L. tidestromii
98. Leaves usually basal (if cauline, then clustered near base).
→ 100
100. Racemes 2–7 cm; banners ± pubescent adaxially.
L. lapidicola
100. Racemes 10–23 cm; banners glabrous adaxially.
→ 101
101. Racemes 10–16 cm; flowers 10–16 mm; leaflets tomentose-woolly; California.
L. grayi
101. Racemes 6–23 cm; flowers 7–13 mm; leaflets villous-hirsute with long, spreading hairs; Arizona.
L. huachucanus
96. Herbs (1–)2–15 dm; stems usually erect, ascending, or spreading, rarely decumbent.
→ 102
102. Leaflets densely tomentose or woolly.
→ 103
103. Stem hairs less than 1 mm, not sharp or stiff; petioles 5–12 cm; flowers 10–15 mm; California (San Louis Obispo County).
L. ludovicianus
103. Some stem hairs 1–3 mm, sharp, stiff; petioles 6–30 cm; flowers 10–18 mm; California.
L. magnificus
102. Leaflets sometimes densely hairy but not woolly.
→ 104
104. Leaves clustered at or near base.
→ 105
105. Corollas yellow.
L. peirsonii
105. Corollas light blue, pink, pale yellow, purple, or violet.
→ 106
106. Peduncles 13–20 cm; corollas light blue, pink, or pale yellow (often drying straw-colored).
L. cervinus
106. Peduncles 8–15 cm; corollas purple to violet.
L. sericatus
104. Some leaves cauline, spread along stems.
→ 107
107. Flowers 5–8 mm.
L. argenteus
107. Flowers 8–18 mm.
→ 108
108. Leaflets 10–50 mm.
→ 109
109. Herbs 1–4 dm; flowers 10–12 mm; California, Nevada, Oregon.
L. nevadensis
109. Herbs 4–10 dm; flowers 12–15 mm; British Columbia to Alberta, southward to California, eastward to Utah and New Mexico.
→ 110
110. Legumes 2 cm wide; Arizona, New Mexico.
L. neomexicanus
110. Legumes 0.7–1 cm wide; British Columbia to Alberta, southward to California, ne Nevada, s Utah.
L. polyphyllus
108. Leaflets 30–120(–150) mm.
→ 111
111. Corollas usually bright yellow, rarely pale purple.
L. sabineanus
111. Corollas blue.
→ 112
112. Herbs strigose to shaggy-pubescent; leaves yellow-green, leaflets 5–11 mm wide; proximal petioles 5–10 cm; bracts 7–15 mm, persistent; California.
L. covillei
112. Herbs puberulent or hairy; leaves green; bracts 4–10 mm, semideciduous; California, New Mexico.
→ 113
113. Leaflets 2–5 mm wide; proximal petioles (3–)5–14 cm; California (Rock Creek to Yosemite National Park).
L. gracilentus
113. Leaflets 5–13 mm wide; proximal petioles 5–7 cm; New Mexico (Sacramento and White mountains).
L. sierrae-blancae
Source FNA vol. 11. FNA vol. 11. Authors: Teresa Sholars, Rhonda Riggins.
Parent taxa Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Lupinus Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae
Sibling taxa
L. adsurgens, L. affinis, L. albicaulis, L. albifrons, L. andersonii, L. angustiflorus, L. antoninus, L. apertus, L. arboreus, L. arbustus, L. arcticus, L. argenteus, L. arizonicus, L. benthamii, L. bicolor, L. brevicaulis, L. breweri, L. cervinus, L. chamissonis, L. citrinus, L. concinnus, L. constancei, L. covillei, L. croceus, L. dalesiae, L. diffusus, L. duranii, L. elatus, L. elmeri, L. excubitus, L. flavoculatus, L. formosus, L. fulcratus, L. gracilentus, L. grayi, L. guadalupensis, L. havardii, L. hirsutissimus, L. huachucanus, L. hyacinthinus, L. kingii, L. kuschei, L. lapidicola, L. latifolius, L. lepidus, L. leucophyllus, L. littoralis, L. longifolius, L. ludovicianus, L. luteolus, L. magnificus, L. malacophyllus, L. nanus, L. neomexicanus, L. nevadensis, L. nipomensis, L. nootkatensis, L. obtusilobus, L. odoratus, L. onustus, L. oreganus, L. pachylobus, L. padrecrowleyi, L. peirsonii, L. perennis, L. polyphyllus, L. pratensis, L. pusillus, L. rivularis, L. sabineanus, L. sericatus, L. sericeus, L. shockleyi, L. sierrae-blancae, L. sparsiflorus, L. spectabilis, L. stiversii, L. subcarnosus, L. succulentus, L. sulphureus, L. texensis, L. tidestromii, L. tracyi, L. truncatus, L. uncialis, L. villosus, L. westianus
Subordinate taxa
L. microcarpus var. densiflorus, L. microcarpus var. horizontalis, L. microcarpus var. microcarpus
L. adsurgens, L. affinis, L. albicaulis, L. albifrons, L. andersonii, L. angustiflorus, L. antoninus, L. apertus, L. arboreus, L. arbustus, L. arcticus, L. argenteus, L. arizonicus, L. benthamii, L. bicolor, L. brevicaulis, L. breweri, L. cervinus, L. chamissonis, L. citrinus, L. concinnus, L. constancei, L. covillei, L. croceus, L. dalesiae, L. diffusus, L. duranii, L. elatus, L. elmeri, L. excubitus, L. flavoculatus, L. formosus, L. fulcratus, L. gracilentus, L. grayi, L. guadalupensis, L. havardii, L. hirsutissimus, L. huachucanus, L. hyacinthinus, L. kingii, L. kuschei, L. lapidicola, L. latifolius, L. lepidus, L. leucophyllus, L. littoralis, L. longifolius, L. ludovicianus, L. luteolus, L. magnificus, L. malacophyllus, L. microcarpus, L. nanus, L. neomexicanus, L. nevadensis, L. nipomensis, L. nootkatensis, L. obtusilobus, L. odoratus, L. onustus, L. oreganus, L. pachylobus, L. padrecrowleyi, L. peirsonii, L. perennis, L. polyphyllus, L. pratensis, L. pusillus, L. rivularis, L. sabineanus, L. sericatus, L. sericeus, L. shockleyi, L. sierrae-blancae, L. sparsiflorus, L. spectabilis, L. stiversii, L. subcarnosus, L. succulentus, L. sulphureus, L. texensis, L. tidestromii, L. tracyi, L. truncatus, L. uncialis, L. villosus, L. westianus
Name authority Sims: Bot. Mag. 50: plate 2413. (1823) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 721. (1753): Gen. Pl. ed. 5, 322. (1754)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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