FABACEAE (Papilionaceae) Pea family

FABACEAE (Papilionaceae) Pea family

This family has about 400 genera and 9000 species. The members of this family occur all over the world, particularly warm and temperate regions. About 82 genera and 587 species of this family are present in Pakistan.

Familiar Plants

➤Lathyrus odoratus: Sweet pea

➤Arachis hypogea: Peanut

➤Cicer arietinum: Chick pea 

➤Dalbergia sisso: Shisham

Vegetative Characters

1. Habit: These are trees, shrubs or herbs.

2. Stem: It may be herbaceous, woody or climber with tendrils Tendrils are wiry, coiled and thread like structure.

3. Leaves: They have compound (rarely simple), alternate and stipulate leaves.  The stipules are mostly leafy. Sometimes, these leaves are partially or completely modified into tendrils.

Floral Characters 

1. Inflorescence: It may be Racemose or solitary axillary.

2. Flowers: They have bisexual, zygomorphic, bracteate, pedicillate, perigynous, pentamerous and papilionaceous flowers.

3. Calyx: They have 5 sepals. These petals are mostly united to form tube. These are hairy.

4. Corolla: They have papilionaceous corolla. In this case, there are 5 clawed petals. These petals are not similar.

5. Androecium: They have 10 mostly diadelphous stamens. Diadelphous stamens are united by their filaments in two groups. The 9 stamens fused to form a sheath around the pistil. The 10th posterior stamen is free.

6. Gynoecium: It has simple pistil. This pistil has single carpel (monocarpellary) with single locule. The ovary is superior. The style is long bent at its base. The placentation is marginal.

7. Fruit: Fruit is usually a legume or pod. The legumes show a great variety in different species.

CAESALPINIACEAE (Cassia family)

This family has 152 genera and 2300 species. It has 16 genera and 60 species in Pakistan.

Familiar Plants

➤ Tamarindus indica

➤ Cassia fistula, amaltas

➤ Bauhinia varigata Kachnar

➤ Cassia senna

Vegetative Characters

1. Habit: Mostly tree or shrubs. Some are woody climbers, rarely herbs.

2. Stem: It is èrect, woody herbaceous or climbing.

3. Leaves: The leaves are compound (rarely simple), pinnate* and stipulate.

Floral Characters

1. Inflorescence: It may be axillary or terminal raceme or it may be panicle or spikes. It is rarely cymose. It is snowy.

2. Flower: Flower is bisexual, zygomorphic (rarely actinomorphic) and perigynous:

3. Calyx: Sepals are 5. They are often coloured and free or connate at base.

4. Corolla: Mostly 5, free petals.

5. Androecium: Stamen are 10 or less (rarely numerous). They may be free or variously united.

6. Gynoecium: They have one simple carpel. Ovary is superior and unilocular (one chamber). Placentation is marginal. Stigma is simple.

7. Fruit: Its fruit is legume.