Lupinus sericeus Pursh
silky lupine
Fabaceae (Pea family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
silky lupine
Fabaceae (Pea family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
SUBTAXA PRESENT IN BC
Lupinus sericeus var. sericeus
Species Information
General:
Perennial herb from a branching, woody stem-base; stems 1 to several, erect, 30-70 cm tall, sometimes branched above, silky-hairy throughout.
Leaves:
Basal and alternate along the stem, palmately compound; leaflets 5 to 9, oblanceolate, pointed or blunt at the tip, 3.5-6 cm long, covered with long silky hairs.
Flowers:
Inflorescence a stalked, terminal raceme, 10-20 cm long, of whorled pea-like flowers, the flower-stalks 3.5-6 mm long; corollas deep blue to lavender but sometimes pink or white, 11-13 mm long, the banner silky and with a white or yellow central patch on the back, the wings mostly glabrous, the keel fringed with hairs along the upper edges; calyces 2-lipped, the upper lip 2-toothed, the lower lip slightly longer, entire.
Fruits:
Pods, about 3 cm long, nearly 1 cm wide, densely silky-hairy; seeds 4 to 6, pinkish-brown.
Notes:
Recognition of infraspecific taxa within this highly variable species does not appear warranted at this time.
Illustration
If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.
Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia
USDA Species Characteristics
Flower Colour:
Blue
Blooming Period:
Early Summer
Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Brown
Present from Spring to Fall
Source: The USDA
Ecology
Ecological Framework for Lupinus sericeus
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
| Site Information |
Value / Class |
||
|
Avg |
Min |
Max |
|
| Elevation
(metres) |
1195 | 319 | 2515 |
| Slope
Gradient (%) |
32 | 0 | 360 |
|
Aspect (degrees) |
195 | 0 | 360 |
| Soil
Moisture Regime (SMR) [0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic; 8 - hydric] |
2 | 0 | 7 |
| Modal
Nutrient Regime
Class |
C | ||
| #
of field plots species was recorded in: |
901 | ||
| Modal
BEC Zone Class |
IDF | ||
|
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in |
AT(9), BAFA(1), BG(52), ESSF(187), ICH(83), IDF(327), IMA(2), MS(94), PP(107), SWB(1) | ||
|
Source:
Klinkenberg 2013
|
|||
Habitat and Range
Dry sagebrush plains, bunchgrass slopes, cutbanks, and openings in thickets and forests in the steppe and lower montane zones; common in SC and SE BC; E to SW AB and S to NM, AZ and CA.Status Information
Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Lupinus sericeus var. kuschei (Eastw.) B. Boivin