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.
Description Lupinus microcarpus is an annual plant growing to tall. The leaves are palmately compound with 5-11 leaflets – long and up to 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 high in Southern California.
Varieties There are three named botanical varieties: Lupinus microcarpus var. densiflorus - whitewhorl lupine or dense-flowered lupine. Endemic and restricted to western California (formerly Lupinus densiflorus). Jepson Manual treatment for LUPINUS microcarpus var. densiflorus . accessed 10.21.2011 Lupinus microcarpus var. horizontalis. Endemic and restricted to southeastern California deserts.Jepson Manual treatment for LUPINUS microcarpus var. horizontalis . accessed 10.21.2011 Lupinus microcarpus var. microcarpus. Widespread, British Columbia to Chile. Jepson Manual treatment for LUPINUS microcarpus var. microcarpus . accessed 10.21.2011
Phytoremediation waste management 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.
References
Mojave Desert Wildflowers, Jon Mark Stewart, 1998, pg. 137 Chilean Scientists use the plant for wastes' Phytoremediation clean-up management of soils.
External links
Jepson Herbarium treatment for Lupinus microcarpus U.C. Photo gallery