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

Stony Ground Lupine

Lupinus saxosus ?

Meadow Lupine, Rock Lupine, Stony-ground Lupine: Lupinus polyphyllus var. saxosus (Synonyms: Lupinus saxosus, Lupinus saxosus var. saxosus, Lupins saxosus var. subsericeus, Lupinus subsericeus) - Meadow Lupine, Rock Lupine, Stony-ground Lupine: Lupinus polyphyllus var. saxosus (Synonyms: Lupinus saxosus, Lupinus saxosus var. saxosus, Lupins saxosus var. subsericeus, Lupinus subsericeus)

The plant above is about 16-20 cm high.

Can anyone confirm whether this might be Stony Ground Lupine: Lupinus saxosus?

A number of this plant were found along the crest of the Columbia Hills Natural Area Preserve. I don't believe there are known populations of stony ground lupine on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge, although they are found on the same ridge on the Oregon side of the Columbia River on Sevenmile Hill and Chenoweth Hill. This lupine is generally found here (the Columbia Hills) on very thin soils, which have many rocks at the surface. Other lupines to be found in bloom at the same time include whitish lupine: Lupinus leucopsis (smaller flowers), spurred lupine: Lupinus arbustus (the former L. laxiflorus) which are spurred, and Columbia Gorge lupine: Lupinus latifolius var. thompsonianus which is somewhat similar in terms of appearance, although it seems to live in deeper soils and has a different upper calyx (not deeply split).

Meadow Lupine, Rock Lupine, Stony-ground Lupine: Lupinus polyphyllus var. saxosus (Synonyms: Lupinus saxosus, Lupinus saxosus var. saxosus, Lupins saxosus var. subsericeus, Lupinus subsericeus) - Meadow Lupine, Rock Lupine, Stony-ground Lupine: Lupinus polyphyllus var. saxosus (Synonyms: Lupinus saxosus, Lupinus saxosus var. saxosus, Lupins saxosus var. subsericeus, Lupinus subsericeus) - Meadow Lupine, Rock Lupine, Stony-ground Lupine: Lupinus polyphyllus var. saxosus (Synonyms: Lupinus saxosus, Lupinus saxosus var. saxosus, Lupins saxosus var. subsericeus, Lupinus subsericeus)

Meadow Lupine, Rock Lupine, Stony-ground Lupine: Lupinus polyphyllus var. saxosus (Synonyms: Lupinus saxosus, Lupinus saxosus var. saxosus, Lupins saxosus var. subsericeus, Lupinus subsericeus) - Meadow Lupine, Rock Lupine, Stony-ground Lupine: Lupinus polyphyllus var. saxosus (Synonyms: Lupinus saxosus, Lupinus saxosus var. saxosus, Lupins saxosus var. subsericeus, Lupinus subsericeus) - Meadow Lupine, Rock Lupine, Stony-ground Lupine: Lupinus polyphyllus var. saxosus (Synonyms: Lupinus saxosus, Lupinus saxosus var. saxosus, Lupins saxosus var. subsericeus, Lupinus subsericeus)

Meadow Lupine, Rock Lupine, Stony-ground Lupine: Lupinus polyphyllus var. saxosus (Synonyms: Lupinus saxosus, Lupinus saxosus var. saxosus, Lupins saxosus var. subsericeus, Lupinus subsericeus) - Meadow Lupine, Rock Lupine, Stony-ground Lupine: Lupinus polyphyllus var. saxosus (Synonyms: Lupinus saxosus, Lupinus saxosus var. saxosus, Lupins saxosus var. subsericeus, Lupinus subsericeus)

Meadow Lupine, Rock Lupine, Stony-ground Lupine: Lupinus polyphyllus var. saxosus (Synonyms: Lupinus saxosus, Lupinus saxosus var. saxosus, Lupins saxosus var. subsericeus, Lupinus subsericeus)

Note the deeply cleft upper calyx. About 6-8 leaves are found on the stems. I don't believe the stems were branched.

Paul Slichter E-mail