Lupinus citrinus var. deflexus

Mariposa lupine

Family: Fabaceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Mariposa lupine is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native annual found in central Sierra Nevada foothills in Mariposa County, growing in granitic or sandy soils of chaparral and foothill woodland at elevations of 400 to 600 meters. Flowering from April to May, this plant produces white flowers with delicate pink or lavender tints, with banner petals that occasionally dry to a translucent yellow. Growing 30 to 60 centimeters tall with an upright, branching habit, it develops slender stems that spread across the landscape. Its leaves are compound with multiple leaflets, typical of lupine species, arranged palmately along the stems. The plant's distinctive coloration and delicate flower structure make it a charming example of California's endemic annual wildflowers.

Habitat: Granitic or sandy soils, chaparral, foothill woodland

Bloom period: Apr-May

Elevation: 400-600 m

Bioregions: c SNF (Mariposa Co.).

California counties: Mariposa

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.