The lupin species, Lupinus polyphyllus has escaped into the wild in New Zealand and grows in large numbers along main roads and streams particulary throughout the South Island. br/br/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, North Africa and the Mediterranean. The legume seeds/beans of lupins, were popular with the Romans who cultivated the plants throughout the Roman Empire. The name 'lupin' derives from the Latin word lupinus meaning quot;of or belonging to a wolf; made of wolf-skinquot;. It is not certain why the genus earned such a name but it may have been inspired by the reputation of lupins as killers of livestock due to their toxicity, or the belief that they ravenously consume the nutrients in the soil.