Also 5 lupyne. [ad. L. lupīn-us, lupīn-um.]
1. Any plant of the genus Lupinus (N.O. Leguminosæ); in the early quots. chiefly L. albus, cultivated in the warmer districts of Europe for the seed and for fodder. The species now common in flower-gardens are of American origin. The flowers, blue, rosy-purple, white and sometimes yellow, grow in clusters of long tapering spikes.
Bastard Lupine = LUPINASTER (Treas. Bot.). Small Lupine, Psoralea Lupinella (ibid.).
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., I. 237. Lupyne and ficches slayn, and on their roote Vpdried, are as dongyng, londis boote.
1562. Turner, Herbal, II. 43. The leues of lupines turne with ye son.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, IV. xxiii. 480. There be two sortes of Lupines, the white or garden Lupine, and the wild Lupine.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., I. 111. Where … Stalks of Lupines grew (a stubborn Wood): Th’ ensuing Season, in return, may bear The bearded product of the Golden Year.
1707–12. Mortimer, Husb. (1721), II. 150. Lupines are an excellent Pulse, and require little care.
1877. A. B. Edwards, Up Nile, xi. 290. Rows of blossoming lupins, purple and white.
1882. Garden, 11 Feb., 91/2. Poor sandy soil suits Lupines well.
2. pl. The seed of this plant.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVII. xcv. (1495), 662. Some legumina ben bytter of themself as Lupines.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 88. Þese medicyns ben sumwhat more driere: yrios,… lupines, þe rotynes eiþer þe drie poudre of trees.
c. 1550. Lloyd, Treas. Health (1585), B v. The Branne of Lupines or penny beane layd on the hearye place [etc.].
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 143. There is not a thing more … light of digestion than white Lupines, if they be eaten dry.
1699. Bentley, Phal., xix. 530. As the Actors in Comedies paid all their Debts upon the Stage with Lupins, so a Sophist pays all his with Words.
1770. Langhorne, Plutarch (1879), II. 950/2. He is said to have lived on lupines.
1898. F. M. Crawford, Ave Roma Immort., I. 9. The old men … sunned themselves in the market-place, shelling and chewing lupins to pass the time, as the Romans have always done.
3. attrib.
1601. Holland, Pliny (1635), I. Table, Lupine meat medicinable.
1841. Browning, Pippa Passes, ii. Wks. 1896, I. 210. Hellward bound … With food for both worlds … Lupine-seed and Hecate’s supper.
