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Lupinus rivularis
Also called Stream Bank Lupine, Streambank Lupine
Lupinus rivularis is a species of lupine known by the common name riverbank lupine native to North America. It is also commonly known as river lupine, streambank lupine, and stream lupine.
Lupinus rivularis is found in western North America, from southern British Columbia to northern California. Specifically, it is native to California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. It mainly exists from coastal habitat in places such as both Olympic and Redwood National Parks, and at Point Reyes National Seashore. Its development in these regions is driven by its preference for sandy, well-drained, and low nitrogenous soils, along with precipitation levels between 20 and 100 inches. Additionally, this species observes optimal growth in environments with full sunlight. Riverbank lupine is able to well establish a population where there is reduced competition, making it an excellent pioneer species for disturbed environments.
Riverbank lupine has a range of important applications and uses, such as erosion control, food for wildlife, ornamental decorations, medicinal usage, and cover crops. As a pioneer species, it is capable of mass growth, thus is ideal for renewal of sites that have undergone erosion. This is enabled through their nitrogen fixation abilities, which makes them very effective at promoting revegetation and reforestation. The seeds produced by riverbank lupine serve as a food source for many birds, while other species rely on the abundant vegetation as a site of cover. Additionally, the low alkaloid content in riverbank lupine makes it suitable for livestock grazing. The showy nature of the floral arrangement makes riverbank lupine ideal for ornamental display in certain environmental landscapes. Lastly, the Nlakaʼpamux of British Columbia reportedly utilized riverbank lupine in a variety of medicinal applications.
Drew's silky lupine · Fleshy lupine · Lupinus albert-smithianus · Sicklekeel lupine · Silver lupine · White Lupin · Lupinus alopecuroides · Lupinus amandus · Lupinus anatolicus · Anderson's lupine · Narrowflower lupine · Narrowleaf lupine
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Lupinus rivularis by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
