Lupinus cosentinii
FABACAE
BLUE or SANDPLAIN LUPIN
Native to Africa, Europe. Naturalised in QLD, NSW, VIC, SA, WA & Norfolk Island.
Widely cultivated as a fodder & grain crop. A common weed of disturbed sites, roadsides, woodlands, waterways. Deep strong taproot that has nitrogen fixing nodules on the top of it.
Upright & short lived 0.2 to 1.2 m tall.
Much branched hairy stems.
Radiating handlike compound leaves with 7 to 13 leaflets.
Blue pea shaped flowers,12 to 17 mm long in elongated clusters at the tips of branches. Flowering in Spring.
Long pods, 4 to 6 cm long x 1.3 to 1.7 cm wide, densely hairy containing 5 to 5 mottled grey, flattened seeds.
Spread by machinery, contaminated soil, fodder & water.