Biology:Lupinus pusillus

From HandWiki
Short description: Plant species in the pea family

Lupinus pusillus
Lupinus pusillus, Montana
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Lupinus
Species:
L. pusillus
Binomial name
Lupinus pusillus
Pursh
Lupinus pusillus in the Wyoming big sagebrush steppe biome, near Phillips, Montana.

Lupinus pusillus, the rusty lupine[1] or dwarf lupine, is an annual plant in the legume family (fabaceae) found in the Colorado Plateau and Canyonlands region of the southwestern United States(California),[2]: 159  and north to Montana.

Description

Growth pattern

It is an annual plant growing up to 9 inches (23 cm) tall. Pusillus is for the small size of the plant.[2]: 159 

Leaves and stems

Leaves are compound palmate with 3-9 1⁄2 to 1 1⁄2 inches (1.3 to 3.8 cm) long inversely lance- shaped leaflets.[2]: 159 

Plant stems and leaf stems (petioles) have long spreading hairs.[2]: 159 

Inflorescence and fruit

It blooms from April to June.[2]: 159 

Flowers are in stalks of 4-38 and bluish to purple or bicolored, with a yellow spot on the upper petal.[2]: 159 

Seedpods are nearly oval and have constrictions separating the seeds.[2]: 159 

Habitat and range

It can be found in desert shrubland and pinyon juniper woodland communities, from as far north as Washington, to California, and throughout the southwest.[2]: 159 

When growing in reddish sand, the blue flowers make a striking contrast with the sun at a low angle.[2]: 159 

Ecological and human interactions

It is pollinated by bees.[2]: 159 

References

  1. ↑ "Lupinus pusillus". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=LUPU. Retrieved 10 May 2017. 
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 Canyon Country Wildflowers, Damian Fagan, 2nd ed., 2012, Morris Bush Publishing, LLC. in cooperation with Canyonlands Natural History Association, ISBN 978-0-7627-7013-7

Wikidata ☰ Q12841444 entry