View source for Lupinus lepidus var. lepidus

* Scientific Name: ''Lupinus'' ''lepidus'' var. ''lepidus''
* Family: Fabaceae
* Common Names: prairie lupine
* Synonyms/Misapplications: ''L. minimus''
* Codon: LUPLEP
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[[File:LUPLEP1.jpg |thumb|Photo by Robert L. Carr, 2009, also featured on Main Page.]]
=== Taxonomy ===
{{Taxobox
| image = 
| image_caption = 
| name = 
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| subregnum = Viridiplantae
| phylum = Tracheophyta
| subphylum= Spermatophytina
| classis = Magnoliopsida
| subclassis = Rosanae
| ordo = Fabales
| familia = Fabaceae
| genus = ''Lupinus'' L.
| species = ''''' Lupinus lepidus''''' Douglas ex Lindl.
| subspecies = ''''' Lupinus lepidus'' var. ''lepidus''''' (not accepted)
}}
<ref>Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved from https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=26048#null</ref>

===Description===
Low and spreading native perennial herb, generally less than 3 dm.

Leaves are both basal and caulescent, palmately compound, and covered with fine hairs on both surfaces.<ref>Bowcutt, F., & Hamman, Sarah. (2016). ''Vascular plants''
of the South Sound prairies'' (First ed.). Olympia, Washington: The Evergreen''
State College Press.</ref> 

The racemes are generally exserted well beyond longest leaves, as opposed to ''L. lepidus'' var. ''cusickii'' and ''L. lepidus'' var. ''utahensis.'' <ref name=":0">Hitchcock, C. L., Cronquist, A., Giblin, D., & Legler,
B. et al. (2018). ''Flora of the Pacific Northwest: an illustrated manual''.
Seattle: University of Washington Press.</ref>

The flowers are dark blue to purple, sometimes white.<ref name=":1">Lambert, A. (2003). ''Propagation Protocol Lupinis Lepidus'' (rep.). ''Propagation Protocol Lupinis Lepidus''. Retrieved from <nowiki>https://depts.washington.edu/propplnt/Plants/Lupinus%20lepidus.htm</nowiki></ref> Inflorescence bracts are often quickly deciduous.<ref name=":0" />

Pods are hairy, from 10-20 cm long, containing 2-12 seeds.<ref>Gilkey, H. M., & Johnston, L. D. (1980). ''Handbook of Northwestern plants''. Oregon State University Bookstores.</ref>

''L. lepidus'' has several variants.

According to ''Flora of the Pacific Northwest,'' "Perennial lupines in North America form a taxonomically difficult group in which some species boundaries are blurred by wide-spread interbreeding; not all plants will readily key."<ref name=":0" />



{{Basics}}

===Distribution===
Western Cascades, southern BC to western Oregon.<ref name=":0" />

===Habitat===
Lowland prairies.<ref name=":0" />

Prairie lupine was the first plant to colonize the devastated slopes of Mount St. Helens. It's seeds are probably dispersed by explosive dehiscence (bursting of the seed pods) and rolling, or by erosion and deposition.<ref>Crisafulli, C. M., Dale, V. H., & Swanson, F. J. (2005). 11: Causes and Consequences of Herbivory on Prairie Lupine (Lupinus lepidus) in Early Primary Succession. In ''Ecological Responses to the 1980 Eruption of Mount St. Helens''. essay, Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.</ref>

Species associated with
Prairie lupine include houndstongue hawkweed (''Hieracium scouleri''), cutleaf microseris (Microseris laciniata), coast goldenrod (''Solidago spathulata''),
white-top aster (''Aster curtus''), slender
cinquefoil (''Potentilla gracilis''), field woodrush ''(Luzula campestris''), and common
camas (''Camassia quamash''). Latin names updated by editor.<ref name=":1" />

===Uses===
Other species in the ''Lupinus'' genus are important food plants in the Salish Sea. In ''Keeping it Living,'' many propagation practices of different ''Lupinus'' species, such as ''L. nootkanensis,'' are detailed.<ref>Deur, D. E., & Turner, N. J. (Eds.). (2006). ''Keeping it living : Traditions of plant use and cultivation on the northwest coast of north america''. Retrieved from <nowiki>https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.evergreen.idm.oclc.org</nowiki></ref>

===Propagation===

Sow lupine seeds in potting soil mixture of coarse and fine particles. Like other legumes, prairie lupine has root nodules which house bacteria which fix nitrogen, providing fertilizer for the plant. Potting soil can be inoculated by mixing a small amount of soil from the seed collection site in the potting mix. Use low nitrogen fertilizer and no humus.  Plant seeds singularly in long narrow pots (at least 3”) and transplant from pots into the field within the same year (about 8 months).  Lupine seedlings have very sensitive roots and suffer from root damage when handled excessively. Sensitivity to the root system is especially needed when transplanting from nursery containers into the field.  Mist lightly, daily with restricted water.<ref name=":1" />
===Seed===
[[File:Lupinus lepidus.jpg|300px|thumb|''Lupinus lepidus'' seeds, photo by Lisa Hintz]]

'''Seed sample from:''' 2011

'''Average Measurement:''' 2.7 x 1.8 x 1.3

'''Measurement Range:''' L: 2 - 3, W: 1.5 - 2, D: 1 - 1.5
====Features==== 
'''Color:'''
Seeds ranging in color from off-white, tan, brown, to gray. Lots of variation in color.  Patterned with mottled speckling which is light to dense. Speckles light brown to dark brown. 

'''Surface:'''
Seed surface is smooth and glossy. Some seeds have small concave pockets. 

'''Latitudinal Cross Section:''' elliptical [[File:LULE-lat-crosssection.png]]

'''Longitudinal Cross Section:''' elliptical [[File:LULE-long-crosssection.png
'''Flowering, Fruiting and Seed Characteristics'''
Flowering Time: June - Aug
	
Fruit Ripening Time: Spring - Fall
	
Seed Collection Time: June - Aug

Crop Intervals: Perennial	

No. of seeds per pound: 16000		

Seed Viability
				
 
'''Fruit and Seed Collection and Extraction'''
Seed can be hand collected from June to August, but collecting is slow due to the small size of the plant. Seeds should be dried in the pods in paper bags. Cuttings can also be taken from the side shoots of hardened stems in the spring.<ref name=":1" />

'''Seed Storage'''

Lupine seeds have a hard seed coat, and because related lupine species are known to have long-lived dormant seed banks (e.g. L. arboreus was germinated in a seed bank study after 45 years), it is likely that prairie lupine seeds are also long-lived and can be stored at low moisture and temperature levels for several years.<ref name=":1" />

'''Fruit/Seed Dormancy and Treatment''' 

Seed requires scarification.<ref name=":1" />

===Gallery===
<gallery>
File:Lupinus lepidus.jpg| Seed, photo by Lisa Hintz
File:LULE PatMontegue sdl good.jpg| Seedling, courtesy of CNLM
File:LUPLEP2.jpg| Photo by Robert L. Carr
</gallery>

===References=== 
<references />