About Lupinus leucophyllus Douglas ex Lindl.
Lupinus leucophyllus Douglas ex Lindl. is a species of lupine commonly known as velvet lupine. It is native to western North America, where it grows in many types of mountain, prairie, and plateau habitats. This is a robust, branching, erect perennial herb that can grow up to 90 centimetres (35 in) tall. Each palmate leaf is divided into 7 to 11 leaflets, which reach up to 7 centimetres (2.8 in) long. The above-ground plant tissue is covered in white woolly fibers and stiff hairs. The inflorescence is a dense raceme holding many flowers, each around one centimeter long. The flowers are purple, fading to brown, and the patch on the banner petal is yellow or brownish. The pointed sepals and the back of the banner have a hairy to woolly texture. This species is one of several poisonous lupines that are dangerous to grazing livestock. The plant contains toxic alkaloids, including lupinine and the teratogenic compound anagyrine.
