Family –Fabaceae/ Leguminosae
This family is third largest family of angiosperm.It includes
maximum numbers of timber yielding plants. The members are
world wide in distribution. On the basis of flower ,corolla and
androecium this family is divided into three subfamilies.They are
1. Papilionaceae : eg. Pisum sativum, Dalbergia sissoo
2. Mimosaceae: eg. Mimosa pudica
3. Caesalpiniaceae
mohar)
: eg. Cassia fistula ,Delonix regia (gul
Sub family papilionaceae
Distribution : 425 genera and 7200 species in the world.largest
subfamily of family leguminosae. Cosmopolitan in distribution,
common in tropical and sub-tropical region of the world.
Habit and habitat :- Annual or perennial herbs, shrubs or trees or
climbers, mesophytes or rarely hydrophytes or xerophytes, wild or
cultivated
Vegetative characters
Root:- Tap root system, branched, root with nodules, containing
nitrogen fixing bacteria Rhizobium
Stem:- Erect, prostrate or climbers, branched, herbaceous or woddy,
solid or fistular ,pubescent, glabrous or glaucous, cylindrical, angular
or flattened.
Contd…..
• Leaf: Cauline and ramal, pulvinus leaf base in some plants,
stipulate,commonly foliaceous stipules in some plants,
petiolate, alternate rarely opposite or whorled, usually
compound pinnately sometime palmately compound
(Trifolium) , rarely simple (Crotolaria) leaflets entire,
unicostate and reticulate venation , upper leaflets or entire
leaf is modified into tendrils for climbing in some plants in
xerophytes sometime leaf may be modified to spinous.
• Floral characters
• Infloroscence : Racemose type ,usually axillary raceme
,panicle, spike or rarely solitary.
• Flower : Flower: Bracteates or ebracteate, rarely bracteolate,
pedicellate, complete, bisexual , zygomorphic, pentamerous,
hypogynous or slightly perigynous, papilionaceous.
Contd……
• Calyx:- Sepals (5), gamosepalous, unequal, usually
companulate, toothed or rarely tubular, aestivation ascending
imbricate or rarely valvate, persistent, inferior.
• Corolla:- Petals 1+2+(2), papilionaceous (butterfly shaped)
with five unequal petals. (1 posterior petal large (vexillum or
standard), two lateral petals are slightly curved (wings or alae)
two anterior petals are more or less united form of boat
shaped structure ( keel or carina ) descending imbricate or
vexillary aestivation, inferior.
• Androecium: - Stamens (9)+1, usually diadelphous ( 9
stamens are fused and 1 is free), 9 stamens partially fused by
their filaments and form staminal tube ,rarely
monoadelphous, inferior
• Anther:- bilobed (dithecous) basifixed, introse,
• Filaments:- 1 free and remaining fused.
Contd…..
• Gynoecium:- Monocarpellary pistil Ovary superior, unilocular with
many ovules, placentation marginal
Style:- short and curved
Stigma:- simple or capitate or plumbose.
Fruit :-Legume or pod
Seed- Albuminous or non endospermic.
Floral formula and diagram
Diagnostic features
• Herbs, shrubs or trees, generally climbers;
• Branched tap root with nodules cotaining
nitrogen fixing bacteria.
• Leaves are alternate, stipulate, simple or
compound.
• Flower zygomorphic, bisexual,
• Corolla papilionaceous,
• Stamens 10 or 9 diadelphous or monadelphous;
• Carpel one, marginal placentation.
• fruit legume or pod
Economic importance
1. Pisum sativum- pea -used as vegetable and pulses
2. Glycine max- soya bean -used for vegetable , pulses and oil,
the seed cake is also used as high protein source
3. Arachis hypogea- ground nut -the seeds are eaten by
roasting and also for oil.
4. Dalbergia sissoo Shisam-or sisau-the plant is used for timber.
The seeds of these plants are used as pulses and dal
1. Phaseolous mungo black gram or mas
2. Vigna sinensis- cow pea-bodi
3. Lens esculenta-lentil –musur
4. Cajanus cajan –Pigeon pea- rahar