[Lupines: The Genus Lupinus in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

Broadleaf Lupine, Broad-leaved Lupine, Common Broad-leaf Lupine

Lupinus latifolius var. latifolius

Synonyms: Lupinus alpicola, Lupinus latifolius var. columbianus, Lupinus latifolius ssp. latifolius, Lupinus latifolius var. ligulatus, Lupinus latifolius var. longipes

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Broadleaf lupine at left in open f orest near the top of the upper bench at Mitchell Point several miles west of Hood River, Oregon.......April 19, 2015. The photos at center and at right show common broadleaf lupine in bloom under oaks on slopes above the Klickitat River near Klickitat, WA.....April 29, 2021.

Close-up sideview of a flower of Broadleaf Lupine, Broad-leaved Lupine, Common Broad-leaf Lupine: Lupinus latifolius var. latifolius (Synonyms: Lupinus alpicola, Lupinus latifolius var. columbianus, Lupinus latifolius ssp. latifolius, Lupinus latifolius var. ligulatus, Lupinus latifolius var. longipes)

The photo at right shows a close-up of the flower of broadleaf lupine in dry, sandy soils at the base of Potato Hill, to the north of Mt. Adams at the boundary between the Gifford Pinchot NF and Yakama Indian Reservation..............June 21, 2005.

Characteristics;

Broad-leaf lupine is an attractive perennial with erect stems up to 1 meter in height, varying with variety from sparsely haired to heavily haired. The stems typically have 6-8 leaves with the lower leaves having petioles 2-3 times longer than the blade. The lower leaves tend to persist through flowering time. The petioles of the upper leaves range from 1-2 times longer than the blades. The 7-9 leaflets are elliptic to obovate in shape and each ranges from 3-6 cm long and 10-20 mm wide. The upper leaf surface tends to be less haired than the lower surface.

The inflorescence consists of several showy racemes from 10-20 cm long. the thin flower pedicels range from 4-9 mm long. The flowers range from light blue to bluish or lavender, or may be marked with bright violet. The flowers range from 12-15 mm long. The back of the banner lacks hairs and is distinctly well reflexed backwards from the wings and keel (Index = 15-30.) The wings lack hairs and completely cover the curved keel.The calyx is silky to shaggy-haired and lacks a spur or sac. The upper calyx lip is shallowly double-toothed. The seed pods range from 2-3 cm long and average 8 mm wide.

Varieties:

Columbia Gorge Broadleaf Lupine: var. thompsonianus - Plants of low-mid elevation in the eastern Columbia River Gorge. Plants covered with whitish to reddish hairs on the calyx, within the inflorescence, and often on the leaves and stems. The keel is nonciliate. Columbia Gorge broad-leaf lupine is often well over 25 cm tall.

Subalpine Lupine: L. arcticus ssp. subalpinus (formerly var. subalpinus) - Plants of alpine and subalpine ridges and meadows from Alaska south to the Cascade Mts. Plants covered with whitish to reddish hairs on the calyx, within the inflorescence, and often on the leaves and stems. The keel is ciliate and plants tend to range from 10-25 cm in height.

Broadleaf Lupine: L. latifolius ssp. latifolius (formerly var. latifolius) - Plants of open meadows and grasslands or open woods from the coast to open montane slopes, mostly west of the Cascades from southern British Columbia south to the Sierra Nevada of California. Plants covered with straight, appressed hairs all pointing the same direction. Common broad-leaf lupine is usually over 25 cm tall.

Habitat:

Common broad-leaf lupine is generally found on open lowland prairies as well as wooded to open mountain slopes.

Range:

Common broad-leaf lupine may generally be found west of the Cascade crest to the Pacific Ocean from British Columbia south to the Sierra Nevada of California.

In the Columbia River Gorge, it may be found between the elevations of 100'-4700' from the west end of the Gorge eastward to near the Klickitat River.

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Broadleaf lupine in open forest near the top of the upper bench at Mitchell Point several miles west of Hood River, Oregon.............April 19, 2015.

The photo above shows the open raceme of broadleaf lupine in dry, sandy soils at the base of Potato Hill, to the north of Mt. Adams at the boundary between the Gifford Pinchot NF and Yakama Indian Reservation..............June 21, 2005. The flowers of this species appear to be ranked, with clusters of flowers arising in a whorl at approximately the same point on the stem. Although similar in appearance to large-leaf lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus) or Burk's lupine (Lupinus burkei), this species is typically found in drier, sandier soils and has leaves with a smaller diameter, and racemes that are typically more open.

Paul Slichter