54 



PULSE OR PEA FAMILY (Leguminosa) 



LUPINES (Lupinus sp.) 

 PLATE XXII. 



COMMON NAMES: The lupines are known under a variety of nam<->, 

 the most familiar being wild peas, wild beans, blue pea, blue bean, old- 

 maid's bonnets, Quaker-bonnets, and sundial. 



DESCRIPTION: Most of the lupines are perennial plants, growing 

 from one to two feet high. The leaves are palmately compound, that 

 is with the leaflets all attached at the end of the leafstalk and outspread. 

 The leaflets vary in number, according to the species, from five to eleven. 

 They also vary in regard to smoothness and hairiness. The flowers are 

 arranged in an elongated spike or raceme. Many of the species are very 

 showy and well worthy of cultivation as ornamental plants. The colour 

 ranges from pink or cream through various shades of violet to rich blues 

 and purples. Each flower is about half an inch long, and there may \>c 

 any number from fifteen to fifty or more on a single stalk. The seed pod 

 is flattened usually, showing the form of the seed within. 



DISTRIBUTION: With the exception of L. perennis L. in Ontario, the 

 lupines in Canada are found on the prairies of Saskatchewan and Alberta 

 and on the hillsides and mountains of British Columbia. 



POISONOUS PROPERTIES: It was found by Sollman that several 

 poisonous alkaloids were present in the American species of lupine. It 

 is thought probable that most, if not all, of the poisoning of live stock was 

 due to these alkaloids, among which was lupinidine, and not to ictrogen, 

 the cause of "lupinosis" in northern Europe. Marsh and Clawson in 

 their experiments also found the alkaloids to be the cause of trouble. They 

 refer to the work of Knowles, who records lupine poisoning among horses, 

 as the "first to note and record definitely cases which can be diagnosed as 

 instances of "lupinosis" or ictrogenic poisoning. The clear-cut evidence 

 presented by Dr. Knowles seems conclusive and makes it probable that 

 other similar cases will be found, although it does not seem likely that 

 lupine causes large losses of horses." 



All parts of the lupines above ground are more or less poisonous. 

 The seeds are the most toxic, the pods next, and then the leaves. As the 

 poison is not cumulative fairly large quantities of the plant may be eaten. 

 without harm, provided the toxic limit is not reached at any one time. 

 As the toxic dose is a fairly large one, well-fed animals are not likely to 

 suffer. 



ANIMALS AFFECTED: It seems that no domestic animals are immune 

 to the poisonous lupine, but the greatest losses are among sheep. 



