Lupine (noun)

A perennial plant of the pea family, with spikes of usually blue, purple, or white flowers.

Origin:

The word lupine comes from the latin word lupinus, which means wolf-like. this is in reference to the belief that lupines were thought to be able to deplete the soil of nutrients, similar to how wolves were believed to deplete an area of game. the word lupine was first recorded in the early 16th century.

Examples:

1. The lupine flowers in the field were a beautiful shade of purple.
2. He had never seen such a variety of lupine before, from tall spires to low-growing mats.
3. The lupine leaves are palmately compound and the flowers are zygomorphic.
4. The lupine flowers are a favorite food of many species of butterflies and bees.
5. The lupine was first introduced to North America as an ornamental plant and is now naturalized in many areas.