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Lupinus (Old Latin name used by Virgil)

(the old Latin name used by Virgil and Pliny; said to be derived from lupus, a wolf; on account of the plant being supposed to destroy the fertility of the soil). Lupine. ORD. Leguminosae. Of this genus over eighty species have been described, but some of them are very variable in our gardens. They are mostly hardy or half-hardy annual or perennial herbs and sub-shrubs, rarely shrubs, numerously dispersed in America, especially in the West, but rarer within the tropics, except in mountainous regions. In the Old World, the genus is represented only by a few annuals in the countries near the Mediterranean. Flowers blue, purplish, or variegated, rarely yellow or white, in sparse terminal racemes or in approximate whorls, often very handsome; calyx deeply two-lobed. Pods very frequently silky-villose, two-valved. Leaves simple, or digitately five to fifteen or many-foliolate, rarely trifoliolate; stipules adnate to the base of the petiole. All the Lupines are of very easy cultivation in moderately good garden soil. The seeds of the annuals, which are among the most ornamental of summer-flowering plants, may be sown, in the open border, during April or May. The perennials may be increased by seeds, in the same manner as the annuals; or by dividing the stronger-growing plants, during March or April. Comparatively few true species are seen in cultivation, as they are almost superseded by the numerous and beautiful hybrids. There is scarcely a single species of this large genus which can be considered as worthless in a flower-garden. Those described below are hardy, unless otherwise specified.

L. affinis (allied). fl. deep blue. June. h. 9in. California, 1848. Perennial. L. albifrons (white-herbaged). A synonym of L. Chamissonis. L. arboreus (tree).* Tree Lupine. fl. yellow, fragrant, somewhat verticillate, pedicellate. Summer. l., leaflets lanceolate-linear, acute, pubescent beneath. North America, 1793. Plant shrubby. (B. M. 682; B. R. xxiv., 32.) L. arbustus (shrub-like). A synonym of L. laxiflorus. L. aridus (arid). fl. purplish-blue; upper lip of calyx bifid, lower one entire. August and September. l., leaflets linear-lanceolate, villous. h. 1ft. North America, 1827. Perennial. (B. R. 1242.) L. bimaculatus (two-spotted). A synonym of L. subcarnosus. L. Chamissonis (Chamisso's). fl. blue, verticillate, in long, slender racemes. September. l., leaflets obovate-oblong, narrowed at the base. Stem and leaves clothed with silvery-silky down. h. 3 1/2ft. California, 1833. Perennial. SYN. L. albifrons (B. R. 1642).

L. grandifolius (large-leaved). A synonym of L. polyphyllus. L. laxiflorus (loose-flowered). fl. with the vexillum and tips of the wings blue, but the keel and base of the wings reddish; calyx entire, saccate at the base, upper lip bifid, lower one longer, ovate, and acuminated. August and September. l., leaflets linear-lanceolate. h. 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. North America, 1826. Perennial. (B. R. 1140.) SYN. L. arbustus (B. R. 1230). L. lepidus (charming).* fl. with the vexillum purplish-blue inside, with a white spot at the base, and pale outside; wings purplish-blue; keel dark purple at the apex. August and September. l., leaflets lanceolate, silky on both surfaces. h. 6in. North America, 1826. Perennial. (B. R. 1149; L. B. C. 1980.) L. leptophyllus (slender-leaved). fl. violaceous, disposed in loose pedunculate racemes, somewhat verticillate; calyx pubescent, with both lips entire, and about equal in length, the upper one broadest. l., leaflets linear, acute, with a few silky hairs on both surfaces. h. 1ft. to 3ft. Mexico. Perennial.

L. leucophyllus (white-leaved).* fl. pink, alternate, pedicellate, bracteolate, disposed in long racemes. June to November. l., leaflets seven to nine, oblong-lanceolate; stipules subulate, woolly. h. 2ft. to 3ft. North America, 1826. Plant very villous. Perennial. (B. R. 1124.) SYN. L. plumosus (B. R. 1217).

L. littoralis (seashore-loving). fl. purplish-blue; both lips of calyx entire. June to October. l., leaflets five to seven, linear-spathulate, silky on both surfaces. h. 1ft. North America, 1826. Perennial. (B. M. 2952; B. R. 1198.) SYNS. L. nootkatensis fruticosus (B. M. 2136), and L. versicolor (B. R. 1979). L. luteus (yellow).* fl. yellow, fragrant, verticillate, sessile, bracteolate. June to August. l., leaflets seven to nine, oblong, lower ones obovate. h. 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. South Europe, &c., 1596. Annual. SYN. L. odoratus. (B. M. 140.) L. macrophyllus (large-leaved). A synonym of L. polyphyllus. L. microcarpus (small-fruited). fl. blue; whorls about six-flowered; calyx without appendage; upper lip emarginate, lower bifid. April. l., leaflets nine or ten, lanceolate, hairy on under surface, smooth on upper. h. 1 1/2ft. North America. Annual. (B. M. 2413.) L. mutabilis (changeable).* fl. large, somewhat verticillate; the vexillum white, mixed with blue, changing to blue, with a large yellow mark in the centre; wings white, faintly striated; keel white. June to August. l., leaflets seven to nine, glaucescent and rather pubescent beneath, lanceolate, bluntish. h. 5ft. South America, 1819. A handsome, half-hardy, erect, branched sub-shrub. (B. M. 2682; B. R. 1539.) L. Cruikshankii is considered by some authors to be but a variety of this species. (B. M. 3056.) L. nanus (dwarf).* Common Dwarf Lupine. fl. lilac and blue. Summer. l. with five to seven narrow-lanceolate, acute, hairy leaflets. h. 1ft. California, 1833. Annual. (B. R. 1705; S. B. F. G. ser. ii. 257.) L. nootkatensis (Nootka Sound).* fl. blue, mixed with purple, white, or yellow, and streaked with more intense veins, rather verticillate, pedicellate. May to July. l., leaflets seven or eight, obovate, lanceolate, hairy. h. 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. Nootka Sound, 1794. Perennial. (B. M. 1311; L. B. C. 879.) L. n. fruticosus (shrubby). A synonym of L. littoralis. L. odoratus (sweet-scented). A synonym of L. luteus. L. ornatus (adorned).* fl. with a pale vexillum, blue wings, and a ciliated paler keel, rather large; upper lip of calyx bifid, lower one entire and elongated. May to November. l. linear-lanceolate, clothed with silvery silky down on both surfaces. h. 1ft. to 2ft. North America, 1826. Perennial. (B. R. 1216; S. B. F. G. ser. ii. 212.) L. perennis (perennial).* fl. blue; calyx alternate, without appendage; upper lip emarginate, lower entire. May to July. h. 2ft. North America, 1658. Perennial. (B. M. 202.) L. pilosus (shaggy). fl. rose, middle of the vexillum red, vertillate, pedicellate, bracteolate. July and August. l. nine to eleven, oblong-lanceolate, villous on both surfaces as well as the stem. h. 2ft. to 4ft. South Europe, 1710. Annual.

L. plumosus (feathery). A synonym of L. leucophyllus. L. polyphyllus (many-leaved).* fl. usually dark blue, rather verticillate, pedicellate. Spring and autumn. l., leaflets eleven to fifteen, lanceolate, hairy beneath. h. 4ft. Columbia, 1826. A well-known perennial, the commonest and one of the best. SYNS. L. grandifolius, L. macrophyllus. (B. R. 1096, 1377; S. B. F. G. ser. ii. 356.) L. Sabinianus (Sabine's). A synonym of L. Sabinii.

L. Sabinii (Sabine's). fl. yellow; wings roundish, size of standard; calyx villous, with the upper lip ovate and acute, lower one boat-shaped, revolute. May and June. l., leaflets seven to twelve, lanceolate, acuminated, silky. h. 2ft. to 3ft. North America, 1827. Perennial. SYN. L. Sabinianus. (B. R. 1435.) L. subcarnosus (nearly fleshy-leaved).* fl. deep rich blue, with a yellowish blotch in the lower part of the standard, lower lip of calyx entire. July. l. on long petioles, of five obovate-lanceolate, thick, almost fleshy, retuse leaflets, those of the lower leaves shortest and broadest. Stem downy. h. 1ft. Texas, 1835. Perennial. (B. M. 3467.) SYNS. L. bimaculatus (S. B. F. G. ser. ii. 314), L. texensis (B. M. 3492).

L. texensis (Texan). A synonym of L. subcarnosus.

L. tomentosus (tomentose). fl. large, variously coloured, and combinations of different colours, verticillate, pedicellate. Summer. l., leaflets eight to ten, oblong, bluntish, mucronulate, tapering to the base. h. 4ft. to 5ft. Peru, 1825. A very handsome half-hardy shrub, clothed in every part with silky tomentum.

L. varius (variable). fl. usually dark blue, large, somewhat verticillate or alternate, pedicellate. July and August. l., leaflets oblong-lanceolate, villous beneath, usually five or six in number. h. 2ft. to 3ft. Spain, &c., 1596. Annual.

L.versicolor (various-coloured). A synonym of L. littoralis.