LUPINUS PILOSUS

Family and Genus:- See- LEGUMINOSAE

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

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

Pilosus (L) Covered with soft distinct hairs.

General description:- Silky or hairy annual.

Stems:-

1) Up to 50 cm. hirsute.

Leaves:-

1) Leaflets, 25-35 x 6-9 mm, oblong-obovate, mucronulate, sericeous to softly

villous, hairs white.

2) Stipules, linear-subulate.

Flowers:-

1) Racemes, up to 10 cm; flowers irregularly verticillate.

2) Peduncle, 1-4 cm.

3) Calyx, hirsute,

a) upper lip, c. 8 mm, 2-partite.

b) lower, 10-12 mm, shallowly 3-dentate to subentire.

4) Corolla, 15-17 mm, bright blue or often particoloured.

a) standard, with a white and yellow or pale purple blotch.

b) wings, blue.

c) keel, white.

Fruit:-

1) Legume, 40-50 x 13-20 mm, softly hirsute, dark red-brown.

2) Seeds, 3-4, orbicular, compressed, tuberculate-scabrid, iridescent, brown and

black-marbled on cream and purple, with a black, curved line on each side.

Key features:-

1) Corolla, 15-20 mm.

2) Seeds 9-12 mm in diam

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Dry open shrubby vegetation, roadsides, olive groves, dry streambeds

generally in light sandy soil. 0-800 m.

Distribution:- Greece and the Aegean region. Mainly confined to W. and C. Crete.

Flowering time:- Late Mar to May.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton