Silvery Lupine (Lupinus argenteus)
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| Scientific Name | Lupinus argenteus | USDA PLANTS Symbol | LUAR3 |
| Common Name | Silvery Lupine, Silver-stem Lupine | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 503575 |
| Family | Fabaceae (Pea) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description |
Life zones and habitat:
Foothills to subalpine (4800 to 10500 ft); meadows and open areas, dry or moist, sandy, well-drained soils. Widespread. Plant: Erect perennial to 2 feet tall, sometimes taller, single to several stems often with very small hairs. Spreads to form colonies. Leaves: Palmately-divided leaves on long petioles with 5 to 9 leaflets, each narrowly linear to oblanceolate, up to 2 inches long. Inflorescence: Many pea-like light to dark blue, purple or white blossoms arranged in a raceme 4 to 8 inches long atop each stem, may be hairy. Raceme stem may be reddish. Bloom Period: May to September. References: Various. Notes: Highly variable species in terms of height, leaf shape, hairiness, etc. |
BONAP Distribution Map
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Colorado Status: Native |
| Scientific Name | Lupinus bakeri | USDA PLANTS Symbol | LUBA3 |
| Common Name | Baker's Lupine | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 25961 |
| Family | Fabaceae (Pea) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description |
Life zones and habitat:
Foothills and montane; drier soils in meadows, among sagebrush, and open woodlands. Plant: Erect perennial 2 to 3 feet tall, with multiple, tufted, reddish stems growing in large clumps. Leaves: Palmately-divided leaves on long petioles with 7 to 9 leaflets, each narrowly elliptic to lanceolate, 1 to 1-3/4 inches long with acute tips; both surfaces appear pale or ashy with pubescent hairs. Inflorescence: Many pea-like light to dark blue, to purplish blossoms about 3/8-inch long arranged in whorls in a raceme 4 to 8 inches long; hairy calyx and raceme stem. Bloom Period: June and July. References: "Guide to Colorado Wildflowers" by G.K. Guennel, "Pittonia Vol. IV" by Edward L. Greene, page 132 and Wildflowers of the Southerb Rocky Mountains |
BONAP Distribution Map
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Colorado Status: Native |
| Scientific Name | Lupinus brevicaulis | USDA PLANTS Symbol | LUAR3 |
| Common Name | Shortstem Lupine | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 503576 |
| Family | Fabaceae (Pea) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description |
Life zones and habitat:
Semi-desert to foothills (4700 to 7000 ft); dry, rocky soils in open areas . Plant: Low, stemless or short-stemmed annual 1 to 3 inches tall, tufted with many petioles radiating from base; foliage covered with long straight hairs. Leaves: Palmately-divided leaves on petioles 3/8 to 2-3/4 inches long, with 5 to 7 leaflets, each narrowly oblanceolate, 3/8 to 3/4-inch long. Inflorescence: Dense, nearly spherical clusters less than 1 inch long of 3 to 15 pea-like light to dark blue blossoms on a very short peduncle less than 2 inches long. Bloom Period: April to June. References: "Flora of Colorado" by Jennifer Ackerfield, SW Colorado Wildflowers and SEINet. |
BONAP Distribution Map
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Colorado Status: Native |
| Scientific Name | Lupinus caespitosus | USDA PLANTS Symbol | LUCA3 |
| Common Name | Dwarf Lupine | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 25980 |
| Family | Fabaceae (Pea) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description |
Life zones and habitat: Montain and subalpine; drier, open areas, meadows. Plant: Short perennial, stemless, 2 to 6 inches tall growing in clumps. Leaves: Palmately-dissected leaves with 5 to 9 leaflets, each oblong to lanceolate, up to 1 inch long, pointed, with silky hairs. Inflorescence: Pea-like blue/purple and white blossoms arranged in a raceme 1 or 2 inches long, often partly buried in the leaves. Bloom Period: June and July. References: "New Manual Botany of the Central Rocky Mountains (Vascular Plants)" by John M. Coulter, "A Guide to Rocky Mountain Plants" by Nelson and Williams and SW Colorado Wildflowers. | BONAP Distribution Map
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Colorado Status: Native |
| Scientific Name | Lupinus caudatus | USDA PLANTS Symbol | LUCA |
| Common Name | Tailcup Lupine | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 25981 |
| Family | Fabaceae (Pea) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description |
Life zones and habitat:
Foothills to subalpine (5300 to 10500 ft); dry or moist meadows and open areas, roadsides. Plant: Erect perennial 8 to 24 inches tall with 1 to several reddish-purple stems extending above the foliage. Leaves: Palmately-divided leaves on long petioles with 5 to 9 leaflets, each narrowly elliptic to lanceolate, up to 2 inches long; flat or folded, hairy surfaces. Inflorescence: Many pea-like blossoms arranged in a raceme 2 to 8 inches long atop each stem; corolla light to dark blue, purple or white; banner lighter blue or whitish in the middle, upward-curving and usually hairy on the back; calyx with a short spur. Bloom Period: May to September. Fruit: Hairy seed pods 3/4 to 1 inch long containing 4 to 6 seeds. References: "Flora of Colorado" by Jennifer Ackerfield, www.americansouthwest.net, US Forest Service Fire Effects Information System and Montana Field Guide. |
BONAP Distribution Map
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Colorado Status: Native |
| Scientific Name | Lupinus prunophilus (Lupinus polyphyllus var. prunophilus) | USDA PLANTS Symbol | LUPR2 |
| Common Name | Big-leaf Lupine | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 26097 |
| Family | Fabaceae (Pea) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description |
Life zones and habitat: Foothills to montane (6000 to 10000 ft); dry soils in grasslands, sagebrush meadows, and roadsides. Plant: Bushy, erect perennial to 40 inches tall, sometimes taller; multiple stems often with very small hairs. Leaves: Palmately-divided leaves on long petioles with 8 to 12 large, usually flat, broadly to narrowly oblanceolate leaflets; upper surface usually hairless; thinly hairy edges and lower surface. Inflorescence: Many pea-like blossoms arranged in a raceme 5 to 12 inches long atop each stem and extending well above leaves; flowers pale to dark blue to violet or bicolored, banner with a white spot. Bloom Period: May to July. Fruit: Seed pod 1 to 1-5/8 inches long and very hairy. References: L. prunophilus in SW Colorado Wildflowers and L. polyphyllus var. prunophilus in "Flora of Colorado" by Jennifer Ackerfield. |
BONAP Distribution Map
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Colorado Status: Native |
