Lupinus littoralis
Encyclopedia
Lupinus littoralis is a species of lupin
e known by the common name seashore lupine. It is native to the coastline of western North America from British Columbia
to northern California
, where it grows in sandy habitat. It is a low perennial herb or subshrub
growing in a clump or mat no more than 30 centimeters tall. Each palmate leaf is divided into 5 to 9 leaflets up to 3.5 centimeters long. The herbage is coated in long, shaggy whitish or silvery hairs. The inflorescence
is raceme
of whorled flowers each around a centimeter long. The flower is purple in color with a white patch on its banner that fades pinkish. The fruit is a hairy legume pod 3 or 4 centimeters long containing up to 12 seeds.
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 seashore lupine. It is native to the coastline of western North America from British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
to northern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where it grows in sandy habitat. It is a low perennial herb or subshrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
growing in a clump or mat no more than 30 centimeters tall. Each palmate leaf is divided into 5 to 9 leaflets up to 3.5 centimeters long. The herbage is coated in long, shaggy whitish or silvery hairs. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
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...
is raceme
Raceme
A raceme is a type of inflorescence that is unbranched and indeterminate and bears pedicellate flowers — flowers having short floral stalks called pedicels — along the axis. In botany, axis means a shoot, in this case one bearing the flowers. In a raceme, the oldest flowers are borne...
of whorled flowers each around a centimeter long. The flower is purple in color with a white patch on its banner that fades pinkish. The fruit is a hairy legume pod 3 or 4 centimeters long containing up to 12 seeds.