W114 

 (leaf 2) 



Looseflower lupine, the other species known to have poisonous 

 properties similar to those of tailcup lupine, is also a perennial with 

 rather long, scattered flower clusters. The stems of looseflower 

 lupine, up to 28 inches in height, are hairy, but scarcely silky ; the 7 

 to 13 leaflets are sparsely hairy or hairless above; the calyx is dis- 

 tinctly spurred, with often only the lower lobes green, the upper lobes 

 forming a rather broad lip, much shorter than the lower lip, and 

 often fully exposed ; the petals vary from blue or lilac to yellowish or 

 white; the upper petal (banner) is long-clawed; the 2 side petals 

 (wings) are somewhat hairy outside near the upper and outer angle. 

 Otherwise the plant is similar to tailcup lupine. Looseflower lupine 

 ranges from British Columbia to Montana, Colorado, Arizona, and 

 eastern California. Like tailcup lupine, it is fairly palatable and 

 has caused some losses of cattle and horses in parts of Wyoming, 

 Washington, and Oregon. 1 It is well known, of course, that the 

 seeds and pods of a number of range lupines are very poisonous to 

 sheep. 2 



1 See footnote on preceding page. 



2 Marsh, C D., Clawson, A. B., and Marsh, H. LUPINES AS POISONOUS PLANTS. U. S. 

 Dept. Agr. Bull. 405, 45 pp., illus. 1916. 



