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Fabaceae (Leguminosae) : The Pea, Bean and Mimosa Family

Fabaceae is a family of 730 genera and 19,500 species of herbs, vines, trees and shrubs. It is cosmopolitan and economically important, with many species cultivated for food like beans, peas, peanuts and soybeans. Others are used for animal feed or fertilizer. Characteristic features include alternate, compound leaves and nitrogen-fixing root nodules. Flowers have 5 sepals and petals, 10 stamens that may be fused, and a single pistil. The fruit is a legume and endosperm is often lacking.

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104 views1 page

Fabaceae (Leguminosae) : The Pea, Bean and Mimosa Family

Fabaceae is a family of 730 genera and 19,500 species of herbs, vines, trees and shrubs. It is cosmopolitan and economically important, with many species cultivated for food like beans, peas, peanuts and soybeans. Others are used for animal feed or fertilizer. Characteristic features include alternate, compound leaves and nitrogen-fixing root nodules. Flowers have 5 sepals and petals, 10 stamens that may be fused, and a single pistil. The fruit is a legume and endosperm is often lacking.

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arul prakasham
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Fabaceae (Leguminosae) - Others are grown and used as animal feed or

fertilizer, such as clover and lupin.


The Pea, Bean and Mimosa Family - Species of Indigofera yield the dye indigo.

730 genera Rosids: Reduced Phylogeny of Required Families


19,500 species

Characteristic features:
- Herbs, vines, trees, and shrubs with usually
alternate, stipulate, pinnately to palmately
compound leaves (sometimes unifoliolate or
simple).
- High nitrogen metabolism w/ unusual amino
acids, often with root nodules with N-fixing
bacteria; leaf and leaflet pulvinuses well-
developed.
- Flowers: a short, cup-like hypanthium
present; usually 5 sepals & petals, free or
connate; petals all alike or the uppermost 1
differentiated (banner), the lower 2 forming
a keel or flaring apart; 5 or 10 to many
Distribution: stamens, if connate then monadelphous or
Cosmopolitan family, absent only from diadelphous; 1 carpel on a short stalk
Antarctica. Many genera are extremely (gynophores).
widespread, while others are endemic to single - Fruit: a legume, though sometimes modified.
countries. The family has diversified in most Endosperm often lacking.
major land biomes from arid to wet tropical,
grassland and coastal. References for further inquiry:
- Doyle, J.J. & Luckow, M.A. The rest of the iceberg.
Economic Uses: Legume diversity and evolution in a phylogenetic
- Third largest family of flowering plants and context. Plant Physiology 131: 900-910 (2003).
second only to the cereals in economic - Heywood, V.H., Brummitt, R.K., Culham, A., &
importance. Seberg, O. Leguminosae (Fabaceae). Pp. 185-188.
- Many species in this family are cultivated for In: Flowering Plant Families of the World. New
food, such as beans, peas, peanuts, and York, Firefly Books (2007).
soybean.

Prepared by: Mischa Olson


Year updated: Spring 2013

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