Lupinus longifolius
Encyclopedia
Lupinus longifolius is a species of lupin
e known by the common name longleaf bush lupine. It is native to the coastal mountain ranges and hillsides of southern California
and Baja California
, where it grows in local habitat in the canyons and slopes, such as scrub
and chaparral
.
which can reach a maximum height around 1.5 meters. Each palmate leaf is divided into 5 to 10 leaflets up to 6 centimeters long. The herbage is green or gray-green and coated in short, silvery hairs.
The inflorescence
is long, narrow raceme
of many flowers each between 1 and 2 centimeters in length. The flower is purple or blue, sometimes with a whitish patch on its banner. The fruit is a dark-colored, hairy legume pod containing 6 to 8 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 longleaf bush lupine. It is native to the coastal mountain ranges and hillsides of southern 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...
and Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
, where it grows in local habitat in the canyons and slopes, such as scrub
Coastal sage scrub
Coastal sage scrub is a low scrubland plant community found in the California chaparral and woodlands ecoregion of coastal California and northern Baja California. It is characterized by low-growing aromatic, and drought-deciduous shrubs adapted to the semi-arid Mediterranean climate of the...
and chaparral
Chaparral
Chaparral is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California and in the northern portion of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico...
.
Description
Lupinus longifolius is a bushy, erect shrubShrub
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...
which can reach a maximum height around 1.5 meters. Each palmate leaf is divided into 5 to 10 leaflets up to 6 centimeters long. The herbage is green or gray-green and coated in short, 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 long, narrow 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 many flowers each between 1 and 2 centimeters in length. The flower is purple or blue, sometimes with a whitish patch on its banner. The fruit is a dark-colored, hairy legume pod containing 6 to 8 seeds.