Family Fabaceae also known as Family Leguminosae is the very famous family of legumes. They constitute vegetables that are rich in protein and cover three sub families based on slightly varying traits.
Taxonomic position of Family Leguminosae / Fabaceae:
Division: Angiospermae
Class: Dicotyledonae
Sub Class: Polypetalae
Series: Calyciflorae
Order: Rosales
Family: Fabaceae (Leguminosae)
Characteristic features of Family Fabaceae / Leguminosae (Common to all sub families):
* Habit: Legumes are trees (Acacia, Laburnum), shrubs (gorse, furze) and (majority) herbs ( clovers, medicago). They may be runner, climbers or with twining stems.
* Habitat: Contains about 690 genera and over 18,000 species. Found in varying habitats based on their sub family characteristics.
*Roots: Roods contain nodules. Nitrogen fixing bacteria harbour at these roots in a symbiotic manner.
* Leaves: compound, alternate, simple and pulvinate (swollen leaf base)
* Inflorescence: Predominantly racemose type (that is, a cluster of stalked flowers are borne on a main stalk in an upward and arranged fashion; older flowers below and younger above)
* Flowers: zygomorphic (irregular arrangement) , hypogynous (ovary is above other floral parts) , heterochlamydeous (distinct calyx and corolla present), and pentamerous (floral members arrangement in fives)
* Androecium: Stamens ten in number; monadelphous (stamens fused fully or partially into a tube), diadelphous (stamens are fused in two groups) or free
* Gynoecium: Monocarpellary (single carpel), unilocular (single cavity) with marginal placentation (ovule placed at the side of the ovary).
* Fruit: Legume or lomentum
Subfamilies of Family Fabaceae
1. Papillionatae (Faboideae) :
Mostly perennial herbs and shrubs; trees are also common. Some are climbers. Stem is woody or herbaceous and branched. In addition to the common leguminosae details, the calyx contains 5 sepals which are joined at the base(gamosepalous), hairy, and with valvate or imbricate aestivation( that is, sepals just touch by the margins and not overlap, or one petal is totally outside while the others slightly overlap). Corolla consists of 5 seperated (polypetalous) petals, butterfly shaped (papillionaceous). (The five petals are the standard petal, two winged petals and two keel petals arranged in vexillary aestivation)
Common Examples
Abrus precatorius (Rosary pea / John Crow)
Arachis hypogea (ground nut)
Butea monosperma
Cajanus cajan (red gram)
Cicer arientium (bengal gram)
Clitoria ternatea used as antidote for snake bite in traditional practice of snake bite.
Crotolaria juncea (Sun hemp)
Dalbergia latifolia (Rosewood)
Dalbergia sisso (Sissoo)
Desomodium gangeticus for curing cough and asthma.
Dolichos biflorus (horse gram)
Dolichos lablab (country bean)
Glycine max (soya bean)
Indigofera tinctorea dye yielding (the famous of indigo of commerce)
Phaseolus mungo (black gram)
Phaseolus radiatus (green gram)
Pisum sativum (green pea)
Pongamia pinnata (Pongam oil)
2. Caesalpiniodeae (Caesalpinae):
Mostly trees and shrubs. Some are climbers, while rarely herbs. Flowers are racemes, panicles or umbels. Sepals and petals are 5 in number each and are free or united in imbricate aestivation. Stamens are 10 in number of varying sizes and are fused in two bundles.
Common Examples
Bauhinia veriegata (Hong Kong orchid tree)
Caesalpinia pulcherrima (peacock flower)
Caesalpinia sappan (Sappan wood tree)
Cassia fistula (golden shower tree)
Cassia glauca (Pyiban-shwe)
Cassia tora (ringworm plant)
Delonix regia (Gul mohur)
Hardwickia binata –
Hematoxylon campuchianum
Saraca indica: (Ashoka tree)
Tamarindus indica (tamarind tree)
3. Mimosae (Mimosoidae)
Herbs, shrubs and trees. Inflorescence may be globose head or spike. Flowers are actinomorphic unlike other Fabaceae zygomormic flowers. Calyx is with 4 or 5 sepals, gamosephalous or polysephalous with valvate aestivation. Corolla is with 4 or 5 petals, polypetalous and with valvate aestivation. Stamens are 10 or more, free and of same size.
Common Examples
Acacia arabica ( gum used in tanning industry)
Acacia coccina (Dry pods yield soapnut powder)
Adenanthera pavonia (Gulganji)
Albizzia lebeck (Siris tree)
Areca catechu (catechu dye)
Mimosa pudica (Touch-me-not)
Neptunea oleracea
Pithecellobium dulce
Samanea saman (rain tree)
