Lupinus luteus - Yellow Lupin

Yellow Lupin is an annual grassy plant with straight branching from base stem, 1-1.5 m in height. Strong, taprooted system with tubercles (nodule bacterium). Leaves are palmate, in groups of 9-11, lengthened, densely velvet-hairy, pointed leaflets. Leafstalks are long. Stipules conjugate, pubescence at edges, symmetrical on the main stem, asymmetrical on lateral branches. Flowers are borne in branch-end spike-like raceme with 6-10 whorls of fragrant flowers, with 5 flowers on short, velvet-hairy flower-stalks within each whorl. Petals are yellow, orange, or whitish; 9 stamens; 5 upper ones are longer. Pods are flat with dense pubescence, 4-5 cm in length, 1.1-1.3 cm wide, yellow-brown when ripening (deep brown in wet weather), with 3-5 seeds. Seeds are kidney-shaped, light cream, pinkish brown with black dots, rarely black in color. Native to western Mediterranean, Yellow Lupin has long been used as a food and forage plant, and has naturalized in many parts of the world.