Family Fabaceae (Leguminosae)

Family Fabaceae (Leguminosae)

The Bean Family (Fabaceae, Leguminosae or Papilionaceae) has flowers that are of an easily recognisable shape. They have five petals with the two lowest ones more or less joined to form a keel which encloses the stamens and pistil. The flowers may be single as in the Sweet Pea or in heads as in the clovers. The fruit is usually a pod enclosing a row of seeds like the typical pea-pod. Peas, beans, lentils, clover, alfalfa, vetches, peanuts, wisteria and licorice all belong to this family. [CH] {GW}