Utah Spurred Lupine

Description:

Based on Welsh (2008 and prior), this keys to Lupinus caudatus var. utahensis based on the easily visible calyx spur. Barneby in 1989 however included L. caudatus within L. argenteus, an approach that others have historically suggested might be best. Barneby's L. argenteus var. utahensis is not a syonymn for this taxon (Barneby, also in 1989, indicated that what had been referred to as Lupinus caudatus var. utahensis instead was something intermediate between vars. heteranthus and holosericeus of L. argenteus which as far as I can tell do not occur in the area where this picture was taken). Another possibility is L. argenteus var. fulvomaculatus given the location and elevation. The petals however are not pale blue nor do they appear to contain a brown eye-spot and that is probably normally a much higher elevation taxon. Both taxa have spike-shaped/spiciform inflorescences with very short pedicels. With some reluctance, I am following Welsh's treatment even though it has not changed for some time and he also admits that the L. caudatus varieties are weakly differentiated. Some sites are pointing L. caudatus var. utahensis to L. caudatus ssp. caudatus. Or, just call it a Lupine. Sept. 4, 2011, Abajo Mountains, San Juan County, Utah, at about an elevation of 8,380 ft., open xeric meadow, less than 45 cm tall.