Lupinus, commonly known as lupin or lupine (North America), is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. The genus includes over 200 species, with centers of diversity in North and South America. Smaller centers occur in North Africa and the Mediterranean. Seeds of various species of lupins have been used as a food for over 3000 years around the Mediterranean (Gladstones, 1970) and for as much as 6000 years in the Andean highlands (Uauy et al., 1995), but they have never been accorded the same status as soybeans or dry peas and other pulse crops. The pearl lupin of the Andean highlands of South America, Lupinus mutabilis, known locally as tarwi or chocho, was extensively cultivated, but there seems to have been no conscious genetic improvement other than to select for larger and water-permeable seeds. Users soaked the seed in running water to remove most of the bitter alkaloids and then cooked or toasted the seeds to make them edible (Hill, 1977; Aguilera and Truer, 1978), or else boiled and dried them to make kirku (Uauy et al., 1995). Spanish domination led to a change in the eating habits of the indigenous peoples, and only recently has interest in using lupins as a food been renewed (Hill, 1977).
Lupin is a flowering plant.
Lupin may also refer to:
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the lupin is a humanoid with a dog-like appearance.
The lupin first appeared in the Dungeons & Dragons adventure modules Castle Amber (1981),The Savage Coast (1985), and Night Howlers (1992). The lupin also appeared in the Creature Catalogue (1986), and the Creature Catalog (1993).
The lupin appeared in second edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons for the Mystara setting in the Mystara Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994).
The lupin appeared in third edition in Dragon #325 (November 2004).
Sages believe lupins to be a result of crossbreeding between humans and gnolls. They are intelligent and productive craftsmen and are friendly towards most races. In the Mystara campaign settings Lupins are most commonly found on the Savage Coast.
A lupin is usually of good in alignment.