Thermopsis robusta

Robust false-lupine

Family: Fabaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Robust false-lupine is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges and northern Coast Ranges in shale and serpentine habitats, open sites, and forests at elevations of 150 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces yellow flowers in elongated clusters with 3 to 5 blooms per node. Growing 80 to 180 centimeters tall with stout, erect stems and few branches at the base, it develops a substantial green to gray-hairy appearance. Its leaflets are remarkably large, measuring 6 to 11 centimeters long and covered in dense, long, soft, and wavy hairs with 18 to 24 distinct lateral veins. The fruit is distinctively curved and spreading, densely covered in soft hairs.

Habitat: Shale, serpentine, open sites, forest

Bloom period: May-Jun

Elevation: 150-1500 m

Bioregions: KR, NCoRO.

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