Fabaceae, also called Leguminosae and commonly known as the legume, pea or bean family, is a large and agriculturally important family of flowering plants that includes trees, shrubs and perennial or annual herbaceous plants, easily recognized by their fruit, the legume, and their compound, stipulate leaves. The family comprises approximately 765 genera and nearly 20,000 known species, the third largest land plant family by species count after Orchidaceae and Asteraceae, with the five largest genera accounting for about a quarter of all legume species.
Facts
Taxonomic Rank Scientific NameFabaceae (also Leguminosae) 1 Member Species/Taxa Count Geographic DistributionWidely distributed worldwide; the most common plant family in the tropical rainforests and dry forests of the Americas and Africa. 1 Defining CharacteristicsA large, agriculturally important family of flowering plants including trees, shrubs, and perennial or annual herbaceous plants; molecular and morphological evidence supports it as a single monophyletic family within the order Fabales. 1 Identification
Distinguishing AppearanceRecognized by its fruit, a legume pod, and its compound, stipulate leaves. 1 Sources
1. Fabaceae (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationWikipedia lead paragraph, sentence 1 (taxonomic rank)
Fabaceae or Leguminosae, commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family, is a large and agriculturally important family of flowering plants.
Wikipedia lead paragraph, sentence 1 (family name)
Fabaceae or Leguminosae, commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean family, is a large and agriculturally important family of flowering plants.
Wikipedia lead section, paragraph 2, sentence 2
The c. 19,000 known legume species amount to about 7% of flowering plant species.
Wikipedia lead section, paragraph 2, sentence 3
Fabaceae is the most common family found in tropical rainforests and dry forests of the Americas and Africa.
Wikipedia lead section, paragraph 3, sentence 1
Recent molecular and morphological evidence supports the conclusion that the Fabaceae is a single monophyletic family.
Wikipedia lead paragraph, sentence 2
It includes trees, shrubs, and perennial or annual herbaceous plants, which are easily recognized by their fruit (legume) and their compound, stipulate leaves.
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