About Lupinus stiversii Kellogg
Lupinus stiversii is a hairy annual herb. It grows 10 to 50 centimeters tall, with an erect, branching stem. Each palmate leaf is usually composed of 7 leaflets, which measure 2 to 5 centimeters in length. The inflorescence forms a dense cluster of a small number of flowers, often arranged in just one or two layers. The distinctive flower is between 1 and 2 centimeters long, pink in color with a yellow banner. The fruit is a legume pod around 2 centimeters long, which usually contains 5 seeds. Lupinus stiversii is endemic to California, with a disjunct distribution across several separate mountain ranges. It grows in the Sierra Nevada and its foothills; populations also occur in the Transverse Ranges above Los Angeles, and in the Santa Lucia Mountains of Monterey County. This species grows in open, dry habitats, including chaparral, forest clearings, and exposed slopes.
