Lupinus lapidicola
Heller's mount eddy lupine, Heller's Mount Eddy Lupine
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Trevor Van Loon · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.3
Lupinus lapidicola (Heller's mount eddy lupine) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by very small prostrate habit with silver-silky hairs.
Heller's mount eddy lupine is a rare California native (CNPS 4.3) perennial herb found in the eastern Klamath Ranges at Mount Eddy in Siskiyou County and the northern Coast Ranges in the King Range of southwestern Humboldt County, growing in dry granitic or serpentine soils within lower montane and subalpine conifer forests at elevations of 1,500 to 3,000 meters. Flowering in July, this plant produces violet flowers with a distinctive yellow spot on the banner, approximately 9 to 12 millimeters long. Growing less than 10 centimeters tall with a nearly prostrate habit, it forms a silver-silky perennial herb with stems clustered near the base. Its leaves have 6 to 8 leaflets, each 10 to 20 millimeters long, carried on petioles 2 to 4.5 centimeters in length. The inflorescence rises 2 to 7 centimeters tall, with flowers arranged in a few spaced whorls on peduncles 5 to 10 centimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 32 sympatric species; key feature is very small prostrate habit with silver-silky hairs
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry granitic or serpentine, gravelly soils, lower montane conifer to subalpine conifer forests
Elevation: 1500-3000 m
California counties: Siskiyou, Trinity, Humboldt, Del Norte
Bloom period
Lupinus lapidicola blooms Jul.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.3
How to tell it apart
vs Salvia: Lupine has pea flowers and palmate leaves; sage has tubular two-lipped flowers and opposite leaves.; vs Artemisia: Lupine has large showy flower spikes; sagebrush has tiny inconspicuous flowers and silvery aromatic foliage.; vs Thermopsis: Lupine typically has 7-11 leaflets; false lupine has exactly 3 leaflets and bright yellow flowers.; vs Delphinium: Lupine has pea flowers; larkspur has flowers with prominent backward-pointing spur.; vs Vicia: Lupine is upright with palmate leaves; vetch is climbing with pinnate leaves and tendrils.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lupinus lapidicola native to California?
Yes. Lupinus lapidicola is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Lupinus lapidicola bloom?
Lupinus lapidicola blooms Jul.
Where in California does Lupinus lapidicola grow?
Lupinus lapidicola occurs in Siskiyou, Trinity, Humboldt, Del Norte, at elevations of 1500-3000 m.
What plant family does Lupinus lapidicola belong to?
Lupinus lapidicola is in the Fabaceae family, genus Lupinus.
Is Lupinus lapidicola rare or endangered?
Lupinus lapidicola carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, state rank S4.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Lupinus latifolius — Bigleaf lupine
- Lupinus latifolius var. dudleyi — Dudley's broadleaf lupine
- Lupinus latifolius var. latifolius — Broadleaf lupine
- Lupinus latifolius var. parishii — Parish's broadleaf lupine
- Lupinus latifolius var. viridifolius — Small flowered broadleaf lupine
- Lupinus lepidus — Pacific lupine
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.