Lupinus spectabilis
Encyclopedia
Lupinus spectabilis is a species of lupin
e known by the common name shaggyhair lupine. It is endemic to a section of the central Sierra Nevada foothills in Mariposa
and Tuolumne Counties
, where it is a member of the serpentine soil
s flora.
bears whorls of flowers each just over a centimeter in length. The flower is usually blue with a white patch on its banner, but all-white flowers have been noted. The fruit is a very hairy legume pod up to 5 centimeters long.
Lupin
Lupinus, commonly known as Lupins or lupines , is a genus in the legume family . The genus comprises about 280 species , with major centers of diversity in South and western North America , and the Andes and secondary centers in the Mediterranean region and Africa Lupinus, commonly known as Lupins...
e known by the common name shaggyhair lupine. It is endemic to a section of the central Sierra Nevada foothills in Mariposa
Mariposa County, California
Mariposa County is a county in the U.S. state of California, located in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It lies north of Fresno, east of Merced, and southeast of Stockton. As of the 2010 census, the population was 18,251 up from 17,130 at the 2000 census...
and Tuolumne Counties
Tuolumne County, California
Tuolumne County is a county in the Sierra Nevada of the U.S. state of California. The northern half of Yosemite National Park is located in the eastern part of the county. As of the 2010 census, the population was 55,365, up from 54,501 at the 2000 census...
, where it is a member of the serpentine soil
Serpentine soil
A serpentine soil is derived from ultramafic rocks, in particular serpentinite, a rock formed by the hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle....
s flora.
Description
Lupinus spectabilis is a hairy annual herb growing 20 to 60 centimeters tall. Each palmate leaf is made up of usually 9 leaflets measuring 1 to 4 centimeters in length. The inflorescenceInflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
bears whorls of flowers each just over a centimeter in length. The flower is usually blue with a white patch on its banner, but all-white flowers have been noted. The fruit is a very hairy legume pod up to 5 centimeters long.