Lupinus microcarpus, the wide-bannered lupine or chick lupine, is a species of lupine native to western North America from southwestern British Columbia south through Oregon and California, including the Mojave Desert, and into Baja California. There is also a disjunct population in South America, with locations in central Chile and western Argentina.

Lupinus microcarpus
Lupinus microcarpus var. microcarpus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Lupinus
Species:
L. microcarpus
Binomial name
Lupinus microcarpus

Description

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Lupinus microcarpus is an annual plant growing to 80-centimetre (31 in) tall. The leaves are palmately compound with 5-11 leaflets 1-centimetre (0.39 in)–5-centimetre (2.0 in) long and up to 1-centimetre (0.39 in) broad.

The flowers are generally pink to purple in color, but can also be between white and yellow; they are produced in open whorls on an erect spike.

Lupinus microcarpus grows from sea level in the north of its range, up to 1,600-metre (5,200 ft) high in Southern California.

 
Lupinus microcarpus var. densiflorus

Varieties

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There are three named botanical varieties:

  • Lupinus microcarpus var. densiflorus - whitewhorl lupine[1] or dense-flowered lupine. Endemic and restricted to western California (formerly Lupinus densiflorus).[2]
  • Lupinus microcarpus var. horizontalis. Endemic and restricted to southeastern California deserts.[3]
  • Lupinus microcarpus var. microcarpus. Widespread, British Columbia to Chile.[4]

Phytoremediation waste management

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Chilean scientists (Universidad de Santiago de Chile) studying phytoremediation waste management in the city of Antofagasta, discovered that plants are capable of absorbing arsenic from the soil.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "​Lupinus densiflorus​". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  2. ^ Jepson Manual treatment for LUPINUS microcarpus var. densiflorus . accessed 10.21.2011
  3. ^ Jepson Manual treatment for LUPINUS microcarpus var. horizontalis . accessed 10.21.2011
  4. ^ Jepson Manual treatment for LUPINUS microcarpus var. microcarpus . accessed 10.21.2011
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