About Lupinus shockleyi S.Watson
Lupinus shockleyi S.Watson is an annual flowering herbaceous species in the lupine genus Lupinus, part of the legume family Fabaceae. This species is canescent, meaning it is covered in fine white hairs. It grows between 5 cm (2.0 in) and 30 cm (12 in) tall. Its leaves are crowded at the base of the plant, and attach to the main stem via petioles that are 4 cm (1.6 in) to 12 cm (4.7 in) long. Each petiole supports 8 to 12 leaflets; individual leaflets range from 10 mm (0.39 in) to 30 mm (1.2 in) in length and 4 mm (0.16 in) to 10 mm (0.39 in) in width. In its native range, this species blooms from March to May. Inflorescences grow 2 cm (0.79 in) to 6 cm (2.4 in) long and hold spirally arranged flowers. Flowers are 4.5 mm (0.18 in) to 6 mm (0.24 in) across, with dark blue-purple petals. Flowers of legumes like this have a characteristic petal arrangement that evolved to facilitate pollination: a large upper petal called the banner that grows outside the other petals before the flower opens, flanked by two lateral petals called wings, with two additional petals called the keel below. In L. shockleyi, the banner has yellow coloring, and the keel is blunt-shaped. The fruits produced by this species are 1.5 cm (0.59 in) to 2 cm (0.79 in) long and 8 mm (0.31 in) to 12 mm (0.47 in) wide. Fruits are ovate in shape and develop a scaly texture when dry. Fruits of this species hold two seeds each, and the seeds have a wrinkled texture. Lupinus shockleyi occurs in southern California (including the Mojave Desert), southern Nevada, and northwestern Arizona. It mainly grows in deserts and dry shrublands, and prefers open, sandy terrain. It can be found at elevations below 2,000 ft (610 m) above sea level. One documented location for the species is Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in the Colorado Desert, where populations can number over one thousand individuals. According to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew's Plants of the World Online, the predicted conservation status of L. shockleyi is not threatened, with a confidence rating of "confident".
