Legumes
Legumes
Legumes, now classified as Fabaceae, are a family of plants that belong to the class of Angiosperms (flowering plants) and to the order of Fabales. This family of plants is characterized by their particular biological and agronomic characteristics.
One of the main characteristics of legumes is their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen through a symbiosis with soil-borne bacteria known as nitrogen-fixing bacteria. These bacteria associate with the roots of legumes and transform atmospheric nitrogen into nitrogenous compounds that can be used by plants for growth. This process is beneficial to the soil and other plants grown nearby, as nitrogen is an essential nutrient for plant growth.
Legumes include a wide range of plants such as beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas, soybeans, lupins and many more. These plants are often grown for their seeds, which are rich in protein and essential nutrients. Legume seeds are used as food for both humans and livestock, and form an important part of many diets around the world.
Furthermore, legumes can also be used in agriculture to improve soil fertility. Their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen makes it possible to reduce the need for synthetic nitrogen fertilisers, thus contributing to more sustainable and ecological agricultural practices.
Below are the botanical data sheets of the most important legumes:
Abarema cochliocarpos (Gomes) Barneby & J.W.Grimes – Barbatimão
Abrus precatorius L. – Rosary Pea
Adenanthera pavonina L. – Red sandalwood or Circassian-tree
Albizia julibrissin Durazz., 1772 – Persian silk tree
Arachis hypogaea L., 1753 – Peanut
Cajanus cajan (L.) Huth, 1893 – Pigeon pea
Casuarina equisetifolia L., 1759 – Coastal she-oak
Ceratonia siliqua L., 1753 – Carob
Cercis siliquastrum, L. 1758 – Judas tree
Cicer arietinum L. – Chickpea
Genista aetnensis (Raf. Ex Biv.) DC – Mount Etna broom
Glycyrrhiza glabra L., 1758 – Licorice
Gymnocladus dioicus (L.) K. Koch – Kentucky coffee tree
Laburnum alpinum (Mill.) Bercht. & J. Presl – Alpine Laburnum
Laburnum anagyroides Medik., 1787 – Common laburnum
Lathyrus oleraceus Lam. – Pea
Lathyrus sativus L., 1753 – Grass pea
Lupinus albus L., 1753 – White lupin
Medicago sativa L. – Alfalfa
Melilotus officinalis (L.) Pall. – Sweet yellow clover
Phaseolus vulgaris L., 1758 – Common bean
Robinia pseudoacacia L. – black locust
Spartium junceum L. – Spanish broom
Styphnolobium japonicum (L.) Schott – Japanese pagoda tree
Sulla coronaria (L.) B.H.Choi & H.Ohashi, 2003 – French honeysuckle
Vicia faba L., 1753 – Broad bean
Vicia lens (L.) Coss. & Germ., 1845 – Lentil
Species present in the portal but still with missing link:
Albizia lebbekoides
Amorpha fruticosa
Anthyllis vulneraria
Aspalathus linearis
Astragalus brachycalyx
Astragalus creticus
Astragalus gummifer
Astragalus glycyphyllos
Astragalus microcephalus
Astragalus propinquus
Astragalus verus
Baptisia tinctoria
Bowdichia virgilioides
Caesalpinia brevifolia
Caesalpinia echinata
Calliandra houstoniana
Calicotome villosa
Calicotome spinosa
Cassia aldabrensis
Cassia angustifolia
Cassia fistula
Cassia obovata
Clitoria ternatea
Copaifera guyanensis
Copaifera langsdorffii
Cuscuta epithymum
Cyamopsis tetragonoloba
Cynometra cauliflora
Cytisus scoparius
Desmodium adscendens
Dipteryx odorata
Ervilia sativa
Galega officinalis
Gleditsia triacanthos
Glycine max
Griffonia simplicifolia
Guilandina bonduc
Haematoxylon campechianum
Hymenaea courbaril
Indigofera tinctoria
Lespedeza capitata
Lotus corniculatus
Lotus cytisoides
Lupinus luteus
Medicago arborea
Medicago lupulina
Mimosa tenuiflora
Myroxylon balsamum
Neptunia oleracea
Onobrychis viciifolia
Ononis spinosa
Physostigma venenosum
Pterocarpus erinaceus
Pterocarpus indicus
Pterocarpus marsupium
Pterocarpus officinalis
Pterocarpus santalinus
Pueraria montana
Pueraria tuberosa
Senegalia laeta
Senegalia senegal
Senna occidentalis
Senna tora
Sesbania grandiflora
Tamarindus indica
Trigonella caerulea
Trigonella foenum-graecum
Trifolium alexandrinum
Trifolium hybridum
Trifolium incarnatum
Trifolium pratense
Trifolium repens
Trifolium resupinatum
Trifolium squarrosum
Trifolium subterraneum
Trifolium vesiculosum
Vachellia seyal
Vigna radiata
Vigna unguiculata
Wisteria sinensis