LUPINUS ANGUSTIFOLIUS

Family and Genus:- See- LEGUMINOSAE

Common Names:- Narrow-leaved lupin

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Lupinus. The ancient Latin name for the white lupin.

Angustifolius (L) Narrow-leaved.

General description:- Short to tall, hairy annual.

Stems:-

1) 20-80 cm, branched.

Leaves:-

1) Alternate, divided to the base into 5-11 separate leaflets.

2) Leaflets, 10-50 x 2-5 mm, linear-spathulate, glabrous above and sparsely villous

beneath.

3) Stipules, linear-subulate.

Flower:-

1) Racemes, 10-20 cm; flowers alternate.

2) Peduncle, 1-3 cm.

3) Calyx, upper lip c. 4 mm, 2-partite, lower 6-7 mm, irregularly 3-dentate to

subentire.

4) Corolla, 11-13 mm, blue,

a) standard, marked with a purple or white and yellow speck.

Fruit:-

1) Legume, c. 40 x 10 mm; shortly hirsute, yellow to black.

2) Seeds, 4-6, ellipsoid, smooth and dull, yellow-brown, dark brown or grey with

yellow spots.

Key features:-

1) Corolla,10-14 mm.

2) Legume, not more than 12 mm wide.

3) Leaflets, 2-5 mm wide, linear.

4) Lower lip of calyx 6-7 mm.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Dry open shrubby vegetation, olive groves, road embankments and open

coniferous woodland, generally on light, sandy soil. 0-900 m.

Distribution:- Scattered throughout Greece. - Mediterranean region, extending to

W Syria. Rare on Crete known from only a few scattered locations.

Flowering time:- Late Mar to May.

Photos by:- Yannis Zacharakis