Lupinus nipomensis

Nipomo mesa lupine

Family: Fabaceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1 · Endangered

Nipomo mesa lupine is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native annual found in southern Central Coast regions of the Nipomo Dunes in southwestern San Luis Obispo County at elevations below 25 meters in coastal dune habitat. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces delicate pink flowers with a distinctive white or pale yellow banner spot, arranged in dense spiral clusters. Growing 10 to 20 centimeters tall with decumbent (sprawling) stems, it has a distinctively hairy appearance with slender branches. Its compound leaves feature 5 to 7 narrow leaflets, each 10 to 15 millimeters long and 5 to 6 millimeters wide, supported by petioles 2 to 3 centimeters long. The fruit develops as a slender pod 1.5 to 2 centimeters long, initially hairy and potentially becoming smooth with age.

Habitat: Dunes

Bloom period: Mar-May

Elevation: < 25 m

Bioregions: s CCo (Nipomo Dunes, sw San Luis Obispo Co.).

California counties: San Luis Obispo

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