[The Lupines of the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

Bingen Lupine, Soft Lupine, Whitish Lupine

Lupinus sulphureus ssp. subsaccatus

Synonyms: Lupinus bingensis var. bingensis, Lupinus bingensis var. dubius, Lupinus bingensis var. subsaccatus, Lupinus leucopsis var. bingensis, Lupinus leucopsis var. mollis, Lupinus mollis, Lupinus sulphureus var. subsaccatus

Bingen Lupine, Soft Lupine, Whitish Lupine: Lupinus sulphureus ssp. subsaccatus (Synonyms: Lupinus bingensis var. bingensis, Lupinus bingensis var. dubius, Lupinus bingensis var. subsaccatus, Lupinus leucopsis var. bingensis, Lupinus leucopsis var. mollis, Lupinus mollis, Lupinus sulphureus var. subsaccatus)

Whitish lupine from sand dunes along Washington Highway SR14 east of Highway 97, Columbia River Gorge..........May 10, 2009.

Flower of Bingen Lupine, Soft Lupine, Whitish Lupine: Lupinus sulphureus ssp. subsaccatus (Synonyms: Lupinus bingensis var. bingensis, Lupinus bingensis var. dubius, Lupinus bingensis var. subsaccatus, Lupinus leucopsis var. bingensis, Lupinus leucopsis var. mollis, Lupinus mollis, Lupinus sulphureus var. subsaccatus)The photo at right shows the flower of whitish lupine. Note the relatively long pedicel. Photo was taken on public lands adjoining the Avery Gravel Pit, Columbia River Gorge.........May 5, 2001.
Characteristics:

Whitish lupine is a perennial lupine to 10 dm tall. It tends to have basal leaves present during flowering, with the lower leaf petioles 3 to 5 times longer than the leaflet blades, while the upper stem leaves may have petioles shorter than the blades. The compound palmate leaves may have from 9 to 11 narrlw, oblanceolate leaflets with acute tips. The leaflets may be hairless above and sparsely to very hairy beneath, or they may be equally very haired on both surfaces. Variety mollis tends to have pubescence on both leaflet surfaces.

The flowers are bluish or purple flowers found on 6 to 10 cm long racemes. The calyx is silky and it is asymetrical although it isn't spurred. The upper lip of the flower is bidentate, while the lower is entire. The banner isn't reflexed very much from the wings or keel.

Similar Species:

Bingen Lupine: Lupinus bingensis - Stems with appressed hairs.

Soft Lupine: Lupinus mollis - Stems with spreading hairs.

Pod of Bingen Lupine, Soft Lupine, Whitish Lupine: Lupinus sulphureus ssp. subsaccatus (Synonyms: Lupinus bingensis var. bingensis, Lupinus bingensis var. dubius, Lupinus bingensis var. subsaccatus, Lupinus leucopsis var. bingensis, Lupinus leucopsis var. mollis, Lupinus mollis, Lupinus sulphureus var. subsaccatus)The photo at right illustrates a short pea pod from the whitish lupine.
Habitat:

Prairies and sagebrush desert from the foothills into the lower mountains.

Range:

Whitish lupine may be found from British Columbia south to the east of the Cascade Mts. to central Oregon.

In the Columbia River Gorge, whitish lupine may be found between the elevations of 200'-2200' from Horsethief Butte east to Biggs, OR.

Flower of Bingen Lupine, Soft Lupine, Whitish Lupine: Lupinus sulphureus ssp. subsaccatus (Synonyms: Lupinus bingensis var. bingensis, Lupinus bingensis var. dubius, Lupinus bingensis var. subsaccatus, Lupinus leucopsis var. bingensis, Lupinus leucopsis var. mollis, Lupinus mollis, Lupinus sulphureus var. subsaccatus) -- Keel of Bingen Lupine, Soft Lupine, Whitish Lupine: Lupinus sulphureus ssp. subsaccatus (Synonyms: Lupinus bingensis var. bingensis, Lupinus bingensis var. dubius, Lupinus bingensis var. subsaccatus, Lupinus leucopsis var. bingensis, Lupinus leucopsis var. mollis, Lupinus mollis, Lupinus sulphureus var. subsaccatus) -- Spreading stem hairs of Bingen Lupine, Soft Lupine, Whitish Lupine: Lupinus sulphureus ssp. subsaccatus (Synonyms: Lupinus bingensis var. bingensis, Lupinus bingensis var. dubius, Lupinus bingensis var. subsaccatus, Lupinus leucopsis var. bingensis, Lupinus leucopsis var. mollis, Lupinus mollis, Lupinus sulphureus var. subsaccatus)

Close-up details of the flower and stems of soft lupine. Note the spreading hairs on the stem of this former variety mollis. Photographed along Washington Highway 14 above the Avery sand pits in the eastern Columbia River Gorge..........May 10, 2009.

Bingen Lupine, Soft Lupine, Whitish Lupine: Lupinus sulphureus ssp. subsaccatus (Synonyms: Lupinus bingensis var. bingensis, Lupinus bingensis var. dubius, Lupinus bingensis var. subsaccatus, Lupinus leucopsis var. bingensis, Lupinus leucopsis var. mollis, Lupinus mollis, Lupinus sulphureus var. subsaccatus) -- Racemes of Bingen Lupine, Soft Lupine, Whitish Lupine: Lupinus sulphureus ssp. subsaccatus (Synonyms: Lupinus bingensis var. bingensis, Lupinus bingensis var. dubius, Lupinus bingensis var. subsaccatus, Lupinus leucopsis var. bingensis, Lupinus leucopsis var. mollis, Lupinus mollis, Lupinus sulphureus var. subsaccatus)

Soft lupine photographed along Washington Highway 14 above the Avery sand pits in the eastern Columbia River Gorge..........May 10, 2009.

Pink-flowered form of Bingen Lupine, Soft Lupine, Whitish Lupine: Lupinus sulphureus ssp. subsaccatus (Synonyms: Lupinus bingensis var. bingensis, Lupinus bingensis var. dubius, Lupinus bingensis var. subsaccatus, Lupinus leucopsis var. bingensis, Lupinus leucopsis var. mollis, Lupinus mollis, Lupinus sulphureus var. subsaccatus) - Raceme of Bingen Lupine, Soft Lupine, Whitish Lupine: Lupinus sulphureus ssp. subsaccatus (Synonyms: Lupinus bingensis var. bingensis, Lupinus bingensis var. dubius, Lupinus bingensis var. subsaccatus, Lupinus leucopsis var. bingensis, Lupinus leucopsis var. mollis, Lupinus mollis, Lupinus sulphureus var. subsaccatus)

An unusual pink-flowered form of whitish lupine as seen from sand dunes along Washington Highway SR14 east of Highway 97, Columbia River Gorge........May 10, 2009.
Paul Slichter