Nebraska Lupine, Platte Lupine

Lupinus plattensis S. Wats.

Fabaceae (Legume Family)

▲ colony by roadside in western Nebraska

▲  mature, flowering plants

▲▼ flowers

▲▼ flowers

▲ stems, showing dense hairs

▲ fruit

Wild Lupines:  (pp. 310-313 in Weeds of the Great Plains; not in Weeds of the Northeast)

·         Annual , biennial or simple perennial (Silver Lupine) or creeping perennial (Nebraska Lupine) wildflowers of western midwest prairies in the Fabaceae (Bean ) family, in the Lupinus genus

·         Usually have palmately compound basal leaves on compressed stems and then smaller palmately compound leaves further up stem; stems and leaves sometimes have soft hairs, at least on lower leaf surfaces

·         Flowers are pea-like in upright racemes in late spring to early summer

·         Are toxic to livestock if grazed (contain toxic alkaloids)

·         A similar-appearing native species called breadroot in the Psoralea genus have edible roots and have been used by native peoples as a food source; careful identification is needed to avoid eating  toxic lupine roots