Also known as Bluebonnet | ||
leaves |
flowers |
fruit |
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General
Description:
33 species or varieties are listed for Idaho. Annual, biennial or perennial
herbs (sometimes shrubs in other areas); leaves alternate, palmately compound
with 3-17 leaflets; papilionaceous, blue, white, pink, yellow, or violet colored
flowers in terminal racemes; calyx 2-lipped sometimes saccate or spurred; banner
broad, with reflexed margins and a median groove; wings curved, often fused
terminally, often enclosing the keel; keel sickle or boat-shaped; 10 stamens
fused by their filaments ( monadelphous), the anthers alternately larger and
smaller; fruit a flat, hairy legume opening along two sutures.
Distribution:
Common throughout North America, but found on all continents except Australia
Habitat:
Dry sage brush habitat to moist woodlands at most elevations
Other:
Economically important because many species are cultivated as ornamentals while
some are used as sand binders along coastlines; many provide high protein food
for animals; in some areas cultivated as nutritious fodder. Native Americans
ate some with extensive preparations which rendered them less toxic.
The principle ingredient is a bitter glycoside lupinin, which when boiled with
dilute acids is decomposed into lupigenin and a fermentable glucose. A carbohydrate
similar to dextrin has been found in some species; bruised seeds of some species
soaked in water has been used as external application to sores and internally
as an anthelmintic, diuretic and emmenagogue.
Even though they are a member of a family which has many edible and nutritious
members, they should be regarded as poisonous to both livestock and Homo sapiens.
However, the native Americans steamed the leaves or roasted the roots. A tea
was made from the seeds and used as a curative. They yield gold or yellow hues
if a mordant such as alum, chrome, copper, tin is used, or tan if iron is used