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Fabaceae

Fabaceae
Fabaceae image
Russ Kleinman
  • VPAP
  • SW Field Guide
  • Resources
CANOTIA 7(1)
PLANT : Trees, shrubs, herbs, or vines, often with nitrogen-fixing bacteria in root nodules. LEAVES : alternate, usually compound (pinnate, bipinnate, palmate) sometimes simple; stipules present, sometimes developing into spines. INFLORESCENCE : a terminal raceme, corymb, spike, or head. FLOWERS : usually bisexual, actinomorphic to papilionoid, hypogenous or perigynous; sepals 5, free or fused into a tube that is regular or somewhat bilabiate; petals mostly 5, rarely reduced or absent, free or fused into a tube, or the 2 lower ones often fused and the three upper ones distinct; stamens 5-10; ovary superior, composed of a single carpel with a terminal style and stigma; ovules 1-many, placentation marginal. FRUIT : usually dry and opening along both sutures (a typical legume), sometimes indehiscent, sometimes breaking into 1-seeded segments (a loment); seed with hard, often impervious testa, often long-lived; embryo typically large, with 2 conspicuous cotyledons. NOTES : Ca. 700 genera and 18,000 spp. of worldwide distribution. Some authors treat the three subfamilies, Caesalpinoideae, Mimosoideae, and Papilionoideae, as distinct families. Economically, legumes are one of the most important plant families, contributing food and forage throughout the world. They are well represented in Arizona, especially below the Mogollon Rim. On Rupert Barneby’s last trip through the American West, he suggested to June Beasley that she describe this group of Dalea segregates (Errazurizia, Marina, Parryella, Psorothamnus) for the VPA project. These genera along with Amorpha, Dalea, and Eysenhardtia all belong to the tribe Amorpheae, which in turn belongs to the subfamily Papilionoideae with pea -like flowers. We here provide a key to the AZ genera of the Amorpheae and a taxonomic treatment of the Dalea segregates. The Amorpheae are members of the Papilionoideae, which generally have bilaterally symmetric flowers with the uppermost petal (the banner) external in the bud and the two lowermost petals forming a keel. The Amorpheae can be distinguished from other tribes of Fabaceae by a combination of characters, namely: the presence of oil glands in the epidermis of the stems, leaves, calyx and sometimes the petals, these parts aromatic when bruised; hairs simple, basifixed; inflorescence determinate; ovules usually 1-2; fruit usually 1-seeded, indehiscent, falling with the calyx. REFERENCES: Rhodes, Suzanne, June Beasley and Tina Ayers. 2011. Fabaceae. CANOTIA 7: 1-13.
Common Name: catclaw acacia Duration: Perennial Nativity: Native Lifeform: Tree Wetland Status: FACU
Species within checklist: Badlands National Park Plants
Amorpha canescens
Media resource of Amorpha canescens
Amorpha fruticosa
Media resource of Amorpha fruticosa
Amorpha nana
Media resource of Amorpha nana
Astragalus agrestis
Media resource of Astragalus agrestis
Astragalus barrii
Media resource of Astragalus barrii
Astragalus bisulcatus
Media resource of Astragalus bisulcatus
Astragalus canadensis
Media resource of Astragalus canadensis
Astragalus crassicarpus
Media resource of Astragalus crassicarpus
Astragalus gilviflorus
Media resource of Astragalus gilviflorus
Astragalus gracilis
Media resource of Astragalus gracilis
Astragalus hyalinus
Media resource of Astragalus hyalinus
Astragalus lotiflorus
Media resource of Astragalus lotiflorus
Astragalus miser
Media resource of Astragalus miser
Astragalus missouriensis
Media resource of Astragalus missouriensis
Astragalus mollissimus
Media resource of Astragalus mollissimus
Astragalus multiflorus
Media resource of Astragalus multiflorus
Astragalus plattensis
Media resource of Astragalus plattensis
Astragalus purshii
Media resource of Astragalus purshii
Astragalus racemosus
Media resource of Astragalus racemosus
Astragalus tenellus
Media resource of Astragalus tenellus
Astragalus vexilliflexus
Media resource of Astragalus vexilliflexus
Dalea aurea
Media resource of Dalea aurea
Dalea candida
Media resource of Dalea candida
Dalea enneandra
Media resource of Dalea enneandra
Dalea purpurea
Media resource of Dalea purpurea
Glycyrrhiza lepidota
Media resource of Glycyrrhiza lepidota
Lathyrus polymorphus
Media resource of Lathyrus polymorphus
Lupinus pusillus
Media resource of Lupinus pusillus
Medicago lupulina
Media resource of Medicago lupulina
Medicago sativa
Media resource of Medicago sativa
Melilotus alba
Media resource of Melilotus alba
Melilotus officinalis
Media resource of Melilotus officinalis
Oxytropis campestris
Media resource of Oxytropis campestris
Oxytropis lambertii
Media resource of Oxytropis lambertii
Oxytropis sericea
Media resource of Oxytropis sericea
Pediomelum argophyllum
Media resource of Pediomelum argophyllum
Pediomelum cuspidatum
Media resource of Pediomelum cuspidatum
Pediomelum digitatum
Media resource of Pediomelum digitatum
Pediomelum esculentum
Media resource of Pediomelum esculentum
Psoralidium lanceolatum
Media resource of Psoralidium lanceolatum
Psoralidium tenuiflorum
Media resource of Psoralidium tenuiflorum
Sophora nuttalliana
Media resource of Sophora nuttalliana
Strophostyles leiosperma
Media resource of Strophostyles leiosperma
Thermopsis rhombifolia
Media resource of Thermopsis rhombifolia
Trifolium dubium
Media resource of Trifolium dubium
Trifolium hybridum
Media resource of Trifolium hybridum
Trifolium pratense
Media resource of Trifolium pratense
Vicia americana
Media resource of Vicia americana
Vicia sativa
Media resource of Vicia sativa
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This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services [MG-70-19-0057-19].

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