Sicklekeel lupine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sicklekeel lupine |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Lupinus
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| Species: |
albicaulis
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Lupinus albicaulis is a type of plant known as the sicklekeel lupine. It belongs to the lupin family. This plant is a perennial, which means it lives for more than two years. It often grows to be taller than one meter (about 3 feet).
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What is the Sicklekeel Lupine?
The sicklekeel lupine is a plant that grows straight up and has a hairy stem. Its leaves are shaped like a hand, with 5 to 10 smaller leaflets. Each leaflet can be up to 7 centimeters (about 2.75 inches) long.
Where Does it Grow?
This plant is found naturally in the western United States. You can see it growing from Washington down to California. It prefers to live in mountain areas.
How Does it Look?
The flowers of the sicklekeel lupine grow in tall clusters called an inflorescence. These clusters can be up to 44 centimeters (about 17 inches) long. The flowers are arranged in groups around the stem. Each flower is about 1 to 1.6 centimeters (0.4 to 0.6 inches) long. They can be purple, yellowish, or whitish. A special part of the flower, called the keel, looks like a sickle, which is a curved tool.
After the flowers bloom, the plant produces a fruit. This fruit is a pod, like a pea pod, and it's covered in silky hairs. These pods can be up to 5 centimeters (about 2 inches) long. Inside the pod, there are several seeds.
Why is This Plant Important?
In Oregon, where the sicklekeel lupine grows naturally, people have found good uses for it. It is sometimes planted to help grow new forests. It is also used to help plants grow back along roadsides or in other areas that have been disturbed. This helps to make the land healthy again.
