Family: Fabaceae, Leguminosae
Common name: pea family [Zomlefer, pp. 160-166]
Diversity: Worldwide: 600-700 genera; ~17,000 species
U.S.: ~140 genera
PNW (Hitchcock & Cronquist): 23 genera
typically split into three subfamilies:


Mimosoideae (50 gen./2-3,000 spp.; mostly tropical)
Caesalpinioideae (150 gen./2,500 spp.; mostly Old World tropical)
Papilionoideae (400-500 gen./10,000 spp.; cosmo.)
Flower -- Vegetative Features -- Economic Importance -- Flower Images-- Web Sites

Flower
K(5) Co5 or 1+2+(2) S9+1, 10, 10- P1
Sexuality: bisexual
Symmetry: zygomorphic, some actinomorphic (Mimosoideae)
Inflorescence: raceme, also umbel, heads
Calyx (sepals): 5, connate
Corolla (petals): 5, free or lower two fused, unequal if zygomorphic
Androecium: 10 to numerous stamens; free, monadelphous, or diadelphous (9+1)
Gynoecium: unicarpelate, superior ovary (=hypogynous), marginal placentation
Fruit: legume (dry, dehiscent along both margins) or loment (constrictions between seeds)
Other features:

Vegetative Features
roots often with bacterial nodules (N2 fixation)
Leaves: alternate, compound (pinnately, less often palmately) or simple, stipulate.
Life-history: annuals to perennial
Habit: herbs, shrubs, trees, and vines
Distribution & Ecology: cosmopolitan, Papilionoidieae is only group well represented in temperate regions of N. and S. hemispheres
Some Northwest Genera: Astragalus, locoweed
Lathyrus, sweet pea
Lotus, deer-vetch, trefoil
Lupinus, lupine
Trifolium, clover
Vicia, vetch

Economic Importance
Crops: Glycine, soybean
Medicago, alfalfa
Phaseolus, beans
Pisum, peas
Cicer, chick pea
Lens, lentil
Trifolium, clover
Ornamentals: Wisteria,
Lupinus, lupine
Weedy and pest species: Melilotus, white sweet clover
Cytisus, Scot's broom
Ulex, gorse

Examples Leguminosae Astragalus
Leguminosae Cytisus
Leguminosae Lotus
Leguminosae Lupinus
Leguminosae Trifollium
click on the genus name for a flower image


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