FACULTY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES AND ALLIED INDUSTRIES

INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY UGR-121

FABACEAE

LECTURE- 09

LEGUMINOSAE OR FABACEAE

SYSTEMATIC POSITION

Class - Dicotyledonae

Sub class - Polypetalae

Series - Calyciflorae (Flower perigynous or Epigynous)

Order - Rosales - Gynoecium - monocarpellary or polycarpellary and carpels are free. (Apocarpous)

Family - Leguminosae (Fabaceae)

Main characteristics

Flower - Perigynous G- /Hypogynous G

Gynoecium - Monocarpellary

Ovary - Unilocular

Placentation - Marginal

The ovary is superior and long in which two sutures are present - ventral suture and dorsal suture. The ovules
are present in one row on the ventral suture.

Dis-similarties are found in the remaining characters. On the basis of these dissimilarities (inflorescence and
floral characters), Leguminosae family is divided into 3 subfamilies –

1. Papilionatae

2. Caesalpinioideae

3. Mimosoideae

I. SUB - FAMILY – PAPILIONATAE / LOTOIDEAE

Sleeping movements commonly occur in this family.

ROOTS

Roots are branched and tap root system is present. Root nodules are present in which N 2-fixing bacterium,
Rhizobium leguminosarum is present.
LEAVES

 Stipulate, unipinnate, imparipinnate means lamina is divided into many leaflets and leaflets are in odd
number.

 Many modifications are found in leaves as follows –

 Some of the leaflets of compound leaves of Pea are modified into tendrils for climbing.
 All the leaflets of Lathyrus odoratus are transformed into tendrils.
 The stipules of leaves in both Pea and Lathyrus odoratus become foliaceous (which help in
photosynthesis).
 Inflorescence : Typical raceme or sometimes solitary axillary as Lathyrus aphaca.

GENERAL FEATURES OF FLOWER

Bracteate, bisexual, Perigynous/hypogynous, pentamerous and zygomorphic symmetry. The zygomorphic

symmetry is due to presence of different (odd) petals (dissimilar petals & androecium).

CALYX

Sepals 5, gamosepalous, aestivation valvate or imbricate and anterior sepals is odd.

COROLLA

Petals 5, papilionaceous (main feature) polypetalous, one petal is odd out of 5-petals, towards the mother axis
(posterior in position). It is the largest and outermost petal which is called standard or vexillum. Below the
vexillum, two small free petals present are known as wing or alae (lateral in position)

The innermost two petals are fused together to form a boat like structure called keel or carina which encloses
the essential organs.

Therefore, such type of aestivation is called vexillary or descending imbricate.

Exception : Petals are absent in Lespedeza.

ANDROECIUM

This is the second main diagnostic character for the subfamilies of Leguminosae.

Stamens - 10; diadelphous - 1 + (9) ;

9 stamens fused together to form a sheath around the pistil while the tenth (posterior one) is free

Exception : 10 - stamens are free in Sophora.

10 stamens are monoadelphous in Pongamia, Crotalaria, Lupinus cymopsis (10).

The posterior stamen is absent in Arachis, Dalbergia and Abrus. 9 stamens are present in them in
monoadelphous condition (9).

GYNOECIUM

Gynoecium is monocarpellary, unilocular, half inferior/ superior with marginal placentation.

FRUIT

Legume or pod, dry, dehiscent, one chambered fruit. It has two sutures and opens along both (dorsal and
ventral) sutures.

Sometimes, lomentum is also found as in Arachis (mungphali)

SEED

Non-endospermic.

FLORAL FORMULA

Br K(5) C1+2+(2) A1+(9) G1

FLORAL DIAGRAM
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE

FOOD PLANT

 Arhar (Pigeon pea)= Cajanus cajan (lndicus)

 Chana (Gram) = Cicer arietinum
 Mattar (Pea) = Pisum sativum
 Urad (Black gram) = Phaseolus mungo or Vigna mungo
 Mung (green gram) = Phaseolus radiatus (esculentus) or Vigna radiatus
 Masoor = Lens esculenta or L. culinaris or Ervum lens
 French bean or Kidney bean (Rajma) = Vigna/Phaseolus vulgaris
 Soyabean = Glycine max (G. soja)
 Gwar (cluster bean) = Cymopsis tetragonoloba
 Methi = Trigonella foenum graecum
 Mungphali (Ground nut) = Arachis hypogea.
 Sem = Dolichos lablab
 Horse gram = Dolichos bifolras
 Agast tree = Sesbania grandiflora. Its flowers are edible
 Kasoori Methi = Medicago flacata
 Mothh = Phaseolus aconitifolia or vigna aconitifolia
 Cowpea (chowla) = Vigna sinensis
 Asparagus bean = Vigna catiang
 Khaseri dal = Lathyrus sativus (The lathyrism disease is produced by the use of this dal.)
 Lima bean (Lobia) = Phaseolus lunatus

FODDER

 Alfalfa = Medicago sativa

 Van Methi (Sweet clover) = Melilotus indicus
 Sejni (Indian clover) = Meliotus alba
 Berseem = Trifoloium alexandrium
 Bankla = Vicia faba

FIBERS

 Sunnhemp = Crotalaria juncia - bast fibres

 Dhanicha = Sesbania cannabinus - Hard fibres
 Ratthi = Arbus precatorius - Hard fibres
 Ougenia delbegiodes
 Erythrina suberosa
TIMBER

 Shisham = Dalbergia sissoo [Indian Red wood]

 Kala shisham = Dalbergia latifolia
 African black wood = Dalbergia melanoxylon
 Red sandalwood = Pterocarpus santalinus
 Indian kino tree = Pterocarpus marsupium
 Hard sola = Aeschynomeni aspara

DYES

 Red colour is obtained from red sandal = Pterocarpus santalinus

 Neel (Blue dye) = Indigofera tinctoria (dye is obtained from leaves).
 Fire of forest = Butea monosperma - orange, yellow dye is obtained from the flower.
 Crotalaria striata = Black dye
 Psoralia plicata = Yellow dye

MEDICAL PLANTS

 Muliathi (Liquoric) = Glycyrrhiza glabra - Its roots are used in coughs and cold.
 Krameria triandra - The medicine is used for diarrhoea.
 Inacna prurita (rainch) - Antithelminitc.
 Pongamia pinnata - Oil of seed is used for rheumatism.

ORNAMENTAL

 Butterfly pea = Clitoria ternatea

 Sword bean = Cannavalia gladiata
 Indian Coral tree = Erythrina indica
 Indian telegraph plant = Desmodium gyrans
 Glory pea = Clianthus
 Phool matar (Sweet pea) = Lathyrus odoratus
 Japanese pagoda tree Sophora japonica
 Lupinus albus
 Pongamia pinnata

INSECTICIDES

 Deris elliptica = Rotenone insecticide - rotenone is obtained.

GUM

 Bengal kino - It is obtained from the butea (dhak)

 Balsam of perue = Myroxylon balsemum
 Gwar gum = Edible gum is obtained from the Gwar.

OTHER USES

 Arbus precatorius = Crab's eye = Ratti = Jeweller's weight- Jewellers use it's seeds as weight.
 Aeschynomeni indica - Omfosm pith plant - Its wood is spongy, toys are made from this.
 Dalbergia latifolia - (Indian Rose wood) - Its bark is used in tanning.
 Aeschynomeni aspara = Indian cork plant - It is used as cork.
 Silk worm lives on the stem of Butea.
 Alhagi pseudoalhagi = Camel's fodder. From twigs screens (chiks) are manufactured.

II. SUB-FAMILY - CAESALPINOIDEAE

ROOT

Tap root system.

LEAVES

Usually compound, unipinnate, paripinnate. But, bipinnate in Delonix.

Phyllode is found in Parkinsonia – means lamina falls and petiole is transformed into a leaf like structure. Such
type of modification is meant for reducing of transpiration.

Inflorescence : Panicle or raceme of racemes or compound raceme. “Raceme of racemes.”

GENERAL CHARACTER OF FLOWER

Bracteate, bisexual, perigynous/hypogynous, pentamerous and zygomorphic symmetry of the flower is due to
the presence of sterile stamens.

CALYX

Sepals 5, polysepalous, imbricate aestivation, odd sepal is anterior one.

COROLLA

Petals 5, polypetalous, ascending imbricate aestivation (posterior petal is the innermost.)

Exception : Petals are absent in Ashok (Saraca), only 3 - petals are present in Imli (Tamaritidus)

ANDROECIUM

Stamens 10, free, arranged in two whorls/(Circles) 5 + 5, some of them are sterile called staminodes.

Most of the genera have 3 staminodes.

7 Stamens are present in Tamarindus, monadelphous, out of them 4 are staminodes.

5 - 8 normal stamens are present in Saraca (Ashok)

5-normal stamens are found in Bauhinia variegata (Kachnar)

GYNOECIUM

Monocarpellary, ovary half inferior/superior, unilocular, style long, stigma is simple and marginal
placentation.

FRUIT

Legume or pod is present. Lomentum is present in Tamarindus.

SEED

Non-endospermic or endospermic

FLORAL FORMULA

Br K5 C5 A5+5 or A7+3 (Staminodes) G1

FLORAL DIAGRAM

ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE

FOOD

 Imli = Tamarindus indica

 Kachnar = Bauhinia variegata
 Rawal = Bauhinia purpurea
 Ceratonia siliqua = Seeds are rich in protein

ORNAMENTAL

 Amaltas = Cassia fistula

 Gulmohar = Delonix regia
 Nagput (Snake climber) = Bauhinia anguinia
 Ashok = Saraca indica
 Peacock flower = Caesalpinia pulcherima
 Kachnar = Bauhinia varigata
 Vilayati kikar (Jeruselam Thorn) = Parkinsonia aculeata
 Amberstia nobilis

TIMBER

 Log wood = Heamatoxylon campachianum - It yields a dye, haematoxylin.

 Purple heart wood = Copaifera pubiflora
 West Indian locust wood = Hymaenia carbaryl
 Hardest and heaviest wood = Hardwickia binata
 Used in agricultural implements = Kingodendron pinnatum
MEDICINES

 The raw fruits of amaltas (Cassia fistula) are used as a laxative.

 Ashokarist is obtained from the bark of ashoka tree (ayurvedic medicine).
 The leaves and seeds of Cassia occidentalis and Cassia obtusifolia are used in skin diseases.
 The bark and leaves of Cassia glauca are used in diabetes and gonorrhoea.
 A tonic is prepared from the bark of Bauhinia variegata.

OTHER USES

 Phanera vahlii - It yields a commercial gum and bark fibres are used for making ropes and baskets.
 Caesalpinia sappan - ‘Gulal’ is obtained from its heart wood.
 Bauhinia purpurea and Ceratonia siliqua are used as fodder.
 The oil of Kingiodendron pinnatum is used for making soaps and paints.

III. SUB-FAMILY - MIMOSOIDEAE

ROOT

Tap root system and branched.

LEAVES

Usually bipinnate. The stipule is modified into thorn as in Acacia. Phyllode is found in Australian Acacia.
Most of the plants are xerophytes.

INFLORESCENCE

Two types of inflorescences are found in Mimosoideae family –

 Capitate or cymose capitulum : The apical region of floral axis, becomes suppressed and swells up
and bears sessile flowers, e.g., Acacia.
 Spike : This is a type of raceme inflorescence, but in which flowers are sessile.

GENERAL FLORAL CHARACTER

Bracteate, bisexual, actinomorphic symmetry, perigynous/hypogynous, tetramerous or pentamerous.

CALYX

Sepals 4 or 5 , gamosepalous, valvate aestivation.

COROLLA

Petals 4 or 5, polypetalous or gamopetalous, valvate aestivation.

ANDROECIUM

Many stamens, free, polyandrous.

Monadelphous stamens are present in Albizia.

4 stamens which are free - found in Mimosa.

In Prosopis, 10 stamens are free

GYNOECIUM

Monocarpellary, unilocular, half inferior/superior, marginal placentation.

FRUIT

Lomentum which is a type of schizocarpic fruit, pericarp contract in between the seeds. It is divided into single
seeded pieces during dehiscence. Each piece is known as mericarp. Single piece or unit is indehiscent.

SEED

Non endospermic

FLORAL FORMULA

Br K(4-5) C4-5 A∞ G1

FLORAL DIAGRAM

ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE

TIMBER AND FUEL

 Acacia arabica = Desi Babool. (Black wood)

 Prosopis juliflora = Australian babool.
 Xylia dolbhihiformis = Iron wood (Jamboo)
 Prosopis cineraria -Khejari (state tree of Rajasthan)
 Albizzia lebbek = Siris
 Acacia sundra = Heaviest wood in India
 Acacia julibrissin = Mimosa tree

FOOD & FODDER

 Pithecolobium dulce - Jungle Jalebi (Aril)

 Albizzia lebbek- Siris-Pods are edible and used as fodder.
 Neptunia oleracea = Lajalu – Fruits are edible.
 Parkia roxburghii = Khurail
 Entada phaseliodes

ORNAMENTAL

 Mimosa pudica = Sensitive plant – Touch me not.

 Neptunia oleracea = Lajwanti "Kiss me quick"
 Pithecolobium dulce - Hedge plant
 Leucaena leucophloea

OTHER USES

 Adanathera pavonia = Seed – "Goldsmith's weight"

 Acacia farnesiana - Cassie perfume is obtained from the flowers.
 Acacia catechu = Kathha is obtained from its heart wood
 Acacia concinna = Shikakai - Its pods are used for head bath.
 Prosopis spicigera - It is grown in Rajasthan as wind breaker.
 Many species of Acacia yield gum.
 Albizzia (Siris) produces a special type of gum called "Sresh".
 The pods of shikakai are also used as insecticides.
 Gum arabic is obtained from Acacia senegal.