Lupinus

Rare card · No. 64672

Lupinus, commonly known as lupin, lupine, or regionally bluebonnet, is a genus of plants in the legume family Fabaceae. The genus includes over 199 species, with centres of diversity in North and South America. Smaller centres occur in North Africa and the Mediterranean. They are widely cultivated both as a food source and as ornamental plants, but are invasive to some areas. For instance, lupine has become an ecological problem in Iceland since the beginning of the 21st century. The part of the plant which is eaten is the leguminous seed. It is nutritious, sustainable, and affordable. Because they are bitter and contain strong alkaloids, they must be pickled prior to consumption, to avoid toxicity. They can also be made into a flour and used as fertilizer. They were historically eaten in the Mediterranean, North Africa, and Latin America, but have now gained popularity in other parts of the world, such as Denmark and Belarus. In spite of lupins not being native to Australia, in the past...

Read on Wikipedia · Image Cheongweei Gan, CC BY 4.0