FABACEAE

LEGUME FAMILY

Annual to tree
Leaves generally compound, alternate, stipuled; leaflets generally entire
Inflorescence: generally raceme, spike, umbel or head; flowers sometime 1–2 in axils
Flowers generally bisexual, generally bilateral; hypanthium generally flat or cup-like; sepals generally 5, fused; petals generally 5, free, or the 2 lower ± fused; stamens 1–many, often 10 with 9 filaments at least partly fused, 1 (uppermost) free; pistil 1, ovary superior, generally 1-chambered, ovules 1–many, style, stigma 1
Fruit: legume, sometimes including a stalk-like base above receptacle, dehiscent, or indehiscent and breaking into 1-seeded segments, or indehiscent, 1-seeded, and achene-like
Seeds 1–several, often ± reniform, generally hard, smooth
Genera in family: ± 650 genera, 18,000 species: worldwide; with grasses, requisite in agriculture and most natural ecosystems. Many cultivated, most importantly Arachis , peanut; Glycine , soybean; Phaseolus , beans; Medicago ; Trifolium ; and many orns
Reference: [Polhill & Raven (eds) 1981 Advances in legume systematics; Allen & Allen 1981 Leguminosae]
Family description and key to genera by Duane Isely.

LUPINUS

LUPINE

Rhonda Riggins (annual) and Teresa Sholars (perennial herbs to shrubs)

Annual to shrubs; cotyledons generally petioled, withering early
Stem generally erect
Leaves palmately compound in CA, generally cauline; stipules fused to petiole; leaflets 3–17, generally oblanceolate, entire
Inflorescence: raceme; flowers spiraled or whorled; bracts generally deciduous
Flower: calyx 2-lipped, lobes entire or toothed, generally appendaged between lobes; banner centrally grooved, sides reflexed, wing tips slightly fused, keel generally pointed; stamens 10, filaments fused, 5 long with short anthers, 5 short with long anthers; style brushy
Fruit dehiscent, generally oblong
Seeds 2–12, generally smooth
Species in genus: ± 200 species: especially w North America, w South America to e US, also tropical South America, Medit
Etymology: (Latin: wolf, from mistaken idea that plants rob soil of nutrients)
Some cultivated for fodder, green manure, edible seed, ornamental; some naturalized from CA in e North America, South America, Australia, s Africa; some (e.g. L. arboreus, L. latifolius, L. leucophyllus ) have alkaloids (especially in seeds, fruits, young herbage) TOXIC to livestock (especially sheep)
Reference: [Barneby 1989 Intermountain Flora 3(B):237–267]
Infl length does not include peduncle
Horticultural information: Many lupine taxa need seed pre-treatment (scarification, stratification, inoculation) for successful germination.

Native

L. formosus Greene

Perennial 2–8 dm, densely hairy to tomentose, gray to silver; rhizomes 3–7 mm diam
Stem spreading to erect
Leaves cauline; stipules 4–15 mm; petiole 2–7 cm; leaflets 7–9, 25–70 mm
Inflorescence 10–30 cm; peduncle 3–7 cm; pedicel 3–7 mm; flowers ± whorled; bracts 4–14 mm, deciduous
Flower 10–18 mm; calyx upper lip 7–11 mm, 2-toothed, lower lip 8–12 mm, entire to 3-toothed; petals purple, banner back glabrous, patch white or not, keel glabrous, upcurved
Fruit 3–4.5 cm, hairy
Seeds 5–7, 4–7 mm, mottled brown
Ecology: Dry clay soils, grasslands, open areas under pines, generally in valleys
Elevation: < 3000 m.
Bioregional distribution: California Floristic Province.