BEACH BLUE LUPINE. CHAMISSO'S LUPINE (Lupinus 

 Chamissonis, Esch.). Flowers blue or sometimes violet or 

 white, the banner with a yellow spot, somewhat w r horled in 

 rather compact racemes; leaves with 7 to 9 leaflets, very silky 

 on both sides, giving the plant a silvery green aspect. 



Chamisso's Lupine is a somewhat shrubby plant, 1| to 3 

 feet high, growing usually in clumps, and is cf frequent occur- 

 rence on the sand dunes of the sea beach from Southern Cali- 

 fornia to Oregon. Its showy flowers may be found in blossom 

 almost every month of the year. The species is quite variable, 

 and particular botanists are accordingly tempted to split it 

 up into several species, but the points of distinction are diffi- 

 cult to define with certainty. 



The specific name of this plant is commemorative of the 

 poet-botanist Adelbert von Chamisso, and was bestowed by 

 Chamisso's fellow naturalist of the Kotzebue exploring expedi- 

 tion, Johann Friedrich Eschscholz. These botanists col- 

 lected in 1816 in the vicinity of San Francisco Bay, and it. 

 was there that Chamisso discovered the California Poppy, 

 naming it in honor of Eschscholz. The latter's dedication cf 

 this beautiful lupine to his comrade is a pleasant instance of 

 friendly \it-for-tat. 



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