38 



LUPINUS leptocarpus. 



Slender-fruited Lupine. 



DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA. 

 Nat. ord. Leguminos^, § Papilionace.e. 

 LUPINUS. Botanical Register, vol. 13. fol. 109G. 



L. leptocai'jms ; biennis, decumbens, vix canescens, foliolis 7-9 oblongo-lan- 

 ceolatis obtusiusculis mucronulatis supra glabris subtCis adpress^ pube- 

 rulis, stipulis setaceis, floribus dense racemosis, bracteis pilosis valde 

 deciduis alabastris obtusiusculis longioribus, calycis ebracteolati adpresse 

 pubescentis labio superiore basi subgibbo, leguminibus elongatis brevi- 

 ter et adpresse pubescentibus. Beiitham Plant. Hartw. no. 61. p. 11. 

 quibusdam mutatis. 



A hardy straggling biennial plant, growing two or three 

 feet high, and blossoming in the latter part of summer and 

 autumn, when it becomes a very gay decoration of the flower 

 garden. It has much the habit of L. rivularis, to which 

 indeed it nearly approaches. 



In the very difficult genus Lupinus it is hard to say what 

 positive characters separate plants, which nevertheless have 

 all the appearance of being distinct species, and any one much 

 acquainted with the genus must feel that some better marks 

 of distinction than are at present employed would be desirable. 

 The relative length of the bracts arid unexpanded flowers, 

 and the form of the latter are doubtless of great importance, 

 but it is to be expected that the form of the pods, and the 

 number, size, form, and surface of the seeds are also deserv- 

 ing of particular attention. That the latter offer the best 

 means of distinguishing the European annual Lupines is well 

 known, and it is probable that the exotic species differ in a 

 similar way. 



If however these marks may be depended upon, it is 

 also necessary to observe that the shrubby or herbaceous 



