Herbs, usually perennial, some­times annual or biennial, 2–8 dm, densely silky-pubescent, silvery becoming rusty or tawny. Cotyledons deciduous, petiolate. Stems decumbent, spreading, many branched. Leaves basal, clustered; stipules 20–150 mm; petiole 2.5–10 cm; leaflet 1, blades 40–120 × 18–33 mm, adaxial surface densely sericeous or strigulose. Peduncles 3–4 cm; bracts deciduous, 4–8 mm. Racemes 8–30 cm; flowers whorled. Pedicels 1–4 mm. Flowers 11–15 mm; calyx abaxial lobe entire, 5–10 mm, adaxial lobe 3-fid with 2 linear laterals, 4–8 mm; corolla light to deep blue, limb centrally white at base, banner spot white to cream, glabrous abaxially, keel glabrous. Legumes 3–5 cm, appressed villous to sericeous. Seeds 4–7, gray mottled black, 4 mm.

Phenology: Flowering Mar–May (year-round).
Habitat: Sandhills, sand pine scrub, open woodlands.
Elevation: 0–50 m.

Distribution

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Ala., Fla., Ga., Miss., N.C., S.C.

Discussion

Lupinus diffusus differs from the other unifoliolate species in its much shorter pubescence and banners with a white eyespot. Lupinus cumulicola represents peninsular Florida forms that have strongly ascending foliose stems and sometimes broader leaves than usual. Some plants of L. diffusus from southern Florida have a vesture of hairs that approach those of L. villosus in length.

Lupinus diffusus seeds are known to be toxic (D. J. Wagstaff 2008).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.