About Lupinus benthamii A.Heller
Lupinus benthamii is a hairy annual herb that reaches 20 to 70 centimetres (7.9 to 27.6 inches) in height. Each of its leaves is palmate, formed of 7 to 10 narrow, linear leaflets. Individual leaflets can grow up to 5 centimetres (2.0 inches) long, and are just a few millimeters wide. Its inflorescence is an erect raceme of flowers that can reach up to 30 centimetres (12 inches) tall, and flowers are sometimes arranged in whorls. Each flower measures between 1 and 2 centimeters long, is colored bright to deep blue, and usually has a white or pink spot on the banner, the upper petal. The fruit is a hairy legume pod that reaches about 3 centimetres (1.2 inches) in length. This plant is endemic to central California, where it occurs from the Central Coast Ranges, across the Central Valley, and into the Sierra Nevada foothills. It is common in some parts of its range, where it can cover hillsides with its blue blooms during the spring.
