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Fabaceae Lindl., nom. cons.
pronounced: fab-AY-see-eye
the pea family
Caesalpinioideae (the cassia sub-family)
pronounced: sez-al-pin-ee-OID-ee-eye
Faboideae (the bean sub-family)
pronounced: fab-OID-ee-eye
Fabaceae Clitoria ternatea floweris named for faba, the Latin name for a particular broad bean. The family is also known as Leguminosae, named for legumen, the Latin name for pulse in general. This is a very large family, divided into 3 sub-familes: Caesalpinioideae, Faboideae and Mimosoideae, which are sometimes treated as separate families. Rather inconsistently, I have chosen to retain the first 2 as sub-families of Fabaceae, but to treat the third as a separate family, the Mimosaceae. I have done this because I think our wonderful Australian wattles deserve their own family, at least within Australia!
Fabaceae are trees, shrubs or herbs, sometimes climbing or trailing, usually with compound leaves, nearly always alternate; stipules are usually present, and stipels are often present. The flowers are usually bisexual and 5-merous. There are usually 5 sepals, free, or more often fused into a toothed tube. There are usually 5 petals, free or sometimes fused, equal or unequal. There are often 10 stamens, free or variously fused, sometimes reduced to staminodes; the anthers are 2-locular, opening by longitudinal slits or rarely by pores. The ovary is superior, the carpel solitary. Members of the Faboideae subfamily have the characteristic pea flower. The fruit is usually a pod.
Alysicarpus vaginalis - Alyce Clover
Arachis hypogaea - Peanut
Bauhinia spp. - Poor Man's Orchid
Bauhinia carronii - Queensland Ebony
Bauhinia galpinii - Red Bauhinea
Bauhinia hookeri - Hooker's Bauhinia
Bauhinia monandra - Pink Orchid Tree
Caesalpinia bonduc - Grey Nickernut
Caesalpinia pulcherrima - Peacock Flower
Cajanus cajan - Pigeon Pea
Cajanus reticulatus - Nalta Jute
Canavalia maritima (syn.) - Coastal Jack Bean
Canavalia papuana - Wild Jack Bean
Canavalia rosea - Coastal Jack Bean
Cassia absus (syn.) - Four-leafed Cassia
Cassia biflora (syn.) - Two-flowered Cassia
Cassia brewsteri - Brewster's Cassia
Cassia fistula - Cascara
Cassia javanica ssp. nodosa - Pink Cassia
Cassia occidentalis (syn.) - Coffee Senna
Cassia pendula (syn.) - Easter Cassia
Cassia spectabilis (syn.) - Spectacular Cassia
Cassia sp. Paluma Range - Paluma Range Cassia
Castanospermum australe - Black Bean
Cathartocarpsu brewsteri (syn.) - Brewster's Cassia
Centrosema molle - Centro
Ceratonia siliqua - Carob
Chamaecrista absus - Four-leafed Cassia
Chamaecrista rotundifolia - Round-leafed Cassia
Clitoria ternatea - Butterfly Pea
Crotalaria goreensis - Gambia Pea
Crotalaria medicaginea - Trefoil Rattlepod
Crotalaria mitchellii - Yellow Rattlepod
Crotalaria montana - Fuzzy Rattlepod
Crotalaria novae-hollandiae - New Holland Rattlepod
Crotalaria pallida - Streaked Rattlepod
Crotalaria retusa - Wedge-leaf Rattlepod
Cynometra iripa - Wrinkle Pod Mangrove
Delonix regia - Poinciana
Desmodium scorpiurus - Scorpion Tick Trefoil
Desmodium tortuosum - Florida Beggar Weed
Erythrina vespertilio - Bat's Wing Coral Tree
Glycine max - Soya Bean
Glycine tabacina - Glycine Pea
Indigofera hirsuta - Hairy Indigo
Indigofera linifolia - Pandharphali
Indigofera linnaei - Birdsville Indigo
Indigofera tinctoria - Indigo
Lysiphyllum hookeri (syn.) - Hooker's Bauhinia
Macroptilium atropurpureum - Siratro
Macroptilium lathyroides - Phasey Bean
Millettia pinnata - Pongamia
Mucuna gigantea - Burny Bean
Peltophorum pterocarpum - Yellow Poinciana
Phaseolus vulgaris - Purple Champion Climbing Bean
Pisum sativum var. macrocarpon - Snow Pea
Pongamia pinnata (syn.) - Pongamia
Pterocarpus indicus - Burmese Rosewood
Senna alata - Candle Bush
Senna occidentalis - Coffee Senna
Senna pallida - Two-flowered Cassia
Senna pendula - Easter Cassia
Senna spectabilis - Spectacular Cassia
Sesbania cannabina - Sesbania Pea
Sophora tomentosa - Silverbush
Strongylodon macrobotrys - Jade Vine
Stylosanthes humilis - Townsville Lucerne
Stylosanthes scabra - Shrubby Stylo
Tamarindus indica - Tamarind
Tephrosia brachyodon - Red Pea-bush
Tephrosia sp. "Picnic Bay" - Wild Indigo
Vigna marina - Sea Bean
Vigna unguiculata - Cowpea
Photograph © Donald Simpson 2013
Page last updated 24th March 2018