Flora of North America species comparison

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Lupinus latifolius

Lupinus lepidus

broad-leaf lupine

Donner Lake lupine, dwarf lupine, Lobb's lupine, Pacific lupine, prairie lupine, prostrate lupine, stool lupine, tidy lupine
Habit Herbs, perennial, 3–24 dm, not fleshy, green, glabrous or hairy. Herbs, perennial, less than 6 dm, matted, hairy.
Stems

erect or spreading, branched or unbranched.

acaulescent or prostrate to ± erect, unbranched or branched.
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.

usually basal, sometimes cauline present;

stipules 3–25 mm;

petiole 2–13 cm;

leaflets 5–8, blades 5–40 × 3–7 mm, surfaces pubescent.
Racemes

16–60 cm;

flowers whorled or spirally arranged.

dense, 3–20 cm, not exceeding to exserted beyond leaves;

flowers whorled, usually crowded.
Peduncles

8–20 cm;

bracts deciduous, 8–12 mm.

2–13 cm;

bracts usually persistent, 4–15 mm.
Pedicels

2–12 mm.

0.4–3 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.

6–13 mm;

calyx bulge or spur 0–1 mm, abaxial lobe entire or 3-toothed, 4–7 mm, adaxial lobe entire or 2-toothed, 3–7 mm;

corolla pink, violet, or blue, banner glabrous abaxially, lower keel margins glabrous, adaxial margin ciliate.
Legumes

2–4.5 cm, ± densely hairy.

1–2 cm, hairy.
Cotyledons

deciduous, petiolate.

deciduous, petiolate.
Seeds

6–10, mottled dark brown, 3–4 mm.

2–6, ± mottled tan or green to brown, 2–4 mm.

Lupinus latifolius

Lupinus lepidus
Distribution
from USDA
w North America; nw Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from USDA
w North America
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
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).

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

Varieties 10 (10 in the flora).

Dwarf perennial lupines are usually characterized by a cespitose habit, persistent inflorescence bracts, banners that are glabrous abaxially, and ciliate keel petals. The history of the taxonomy of this group was discussed in detail by B. J. Cox (1972), R. C. Barneby (1989), and K. A. Weitemier (2010). Barneby gave justification for his conservative treatment of this taxon, which is generally followed here. Genetic analysis in lupines has shown little separation, according to Weitemier, but he suggested that there is good evidence to retain these variations as varieties, following Barneby, rather than elevating them to species level.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Key
1. Flowers 8–14 mm.
→ 2
2. Flowers 10–14(–16) mm.
var. latifolius
2. Flowers 8–10(–12) mm.
var. viridifolius
1. Flowers 12–18 mm.
→ 3
3. Stems densely hairy, not hollow; San Francisco Bay area, California.
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.
var. parishii
4. Herbs 2.5–6 dm, caudex branched; n Oregon to British Columbia.
var. subalpinus
1. Racemes not exceeding leaves, or only partially so.
→ 2
2. Banner recurved, reflexed, 3+ mm wide.
var. aridus
2. Banner not or scarcely recurved, overhanging wings, 2.5–3 mm wide.
→ 3
3. Stems present and branched; leaves basal and cauline; racemes loose; pedicels 2.5–.
var. cusickii
3. Stems very short or absent, densely tufted; leaves basal; racemes dense; pedicels 0.4–.
→ 1
1. 5 mm.
var. utahensis
1. Racemes entirely exserted beyond leaves.
→ 4
4. Leaves clustered near base (appearing ± basal); herbs appearing acaulescent or shortly caulescent.
→ 5
5. Flowers 9–12 mm; leaflet blades 10–20 mm; rare, only from Mt. Ashland, Oregon.
L. lepidus var ashlandensis
5. Flowers 6–9(–10) mm; leaflet blades 5–30 mm; British Columbia southward to California, eastward to Idaho, Nevada.
→ 6
6. Racemes ± dense, 2–8 cm; herbs to 1 dm; leaflet blades 5–10 mm; elevation (1600–)2000–3500 m.
var. lobbii
6. Racemes elongate, (2–)4.5–11(–15) cm; herbs 1.2–3.5 dm; leaflet blades 10–30 mm; elevation 1000–2500 m.
var. sellulus
4. Leaves usually spread along stems or at least with some tufts of cauline leaves; herbs usually strongly caulescent (except stems short or absent in var. culbertsonii).
→ 7
7. Flowers 10–14 mm; Alberta, British Columbia, Alaska, Oregon, Washington.
var. lepidus
7. Flowers 7–11.5(–12) mm; California, Nevada.
→ 8
8. Racemes dense, (5–)12–30 cm; flowers in 9–12 whorls, dense; leaves cauline; elevation (300–)1500–2500(–3200 m).
var. confertus
8. Racemes usually open, 2–10(–12) cm; flowers in (2 or)3–7 whorls, ± well spaced; leaves basal and cauline; elevation 1900–4000 m.
→ 9
9. Leaflet blades usually 10–30 mm; flowers (9–)10–11.5 mm; elevation 1900–3600 m.
var. culbertsonii
9. Leaflet blades usually 5–15(–30) mm; flowers usually 7–9(–12) mm; elevation 2300–4000 m.
var. ramosus
Source FNA vol. 11. FNA vol. 11.
Parent taxa Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Lupinus Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Lupinus
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. 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
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. 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
Subordinate taxa
L. latifolius var. dudleyi, L. latifolius var. latifolius, L. latifolius var. parishii, L. latifolius var. subalpinus, L. latifolius var. viridifolius
L. lepidus var ashlandensis, L. lepidus var. aridus, L. lepidus var. confertus, L. lepidus var. culbertsonii, L. lepidus var. cusickii, L. lepidus var. lepidus, L. lepidus var. lobbii, L. lepidus var. ramosus, L. lepidus var. sellulus, L. lepidus var. utahensis
Synonyms L. rivularis var. latifolius
Name authority J. Agardh: Syn. Lupini, 18. (1835) Douglas ex Lindley: Bot. Reg. 14: plate 1149. (1828)
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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