FABACEAE – PEA OR BEAN FAMILY Plant: herbs, less often vines, shrubs and trees, some with spines Stem: Root: Leaves: alternate, usually compound (rarely simple) – most often pinnately but sometimes palmately (or 3’s) divided, toothed or not; stipules present, sometimes becoming spines; swelling (pulvinus) often at base Flowers: mostly perfect; irregular (zygomorphic) ‘pea-like’ flowers often in dense heads, sometimes regular (actinomorphic); 4-5 sepals, often tube-like; 5 (rarely 1 or none) petals – often the 2 lower ones join to form the keel, the 2 to the side the wings, and the upper one is termed the banner or standard and external to the others and usually larger; 5-10 to many stamens, often fused; ovary mostly superior,1 pistil, 1 carpel, 2 to numerous ovules Fruit: legume; a dry pod, 1-chambered, opening along 2 seams or sutures Other: very large family; common foodstuffs such as peas, soybeans, beans, lentils, and peanuts; as well as hay – clover and alfalfa; some are poisonous; many are ornamentals. Dicotyledons Group (older name is Leguminosae) Genera: 725+ genera; locally, too many genera to list (divided into 3 subfamilies) WARNING – family descriptions are only a layman’s guide and should not be used as definitive Flower Morphology in the General Plan (many exceptions) – 5 petals (upper banner Fabaceae (Pea or Bean Family) or standard petal, 2 wing petals (often fused), and 2 keel petals (often fused) – Papilionaceous or Pea type flower) Examples of some common genera (L-Z) Everlasting [Perennial] Pea Sundial [Wild] Lupine Nuttall's Sensitive-Briar American [Northern] Wild Senna Lathyrus latifolius L. (Introduced) Lupinus perennis L. ssp. perennis Mimosa nuttallii (DC. ex Britton Senna hebecarpa (Fern.) & Rose) B.L. Turner Irwin & Barneby Spotted Medick Purple Locoweed Red Clover Roundheaded Bushclover [Lespedeza] Medicago arabica (L.) Huds. Oxytropis lambertii Pursh Trifolium pratense L. (Introduced) Lespedeza capitata Michx. (Introduced) Bristly Locust [Rose Acacia] [Yellow; White] Sweet Clover Robinia hispida L. Hairy [Winter] Vetch Birdfoot Trefoil Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam. Vicia villosa Roth (Introduced) Lotus corniculatus L. (Introduced) FABACEAE – PEA OR BEAN FAMILY [Singletary] Caley Pea; Lathyrus hirsutus L. (Introduced) Beach Pea; Lathyrus japonicus Willd. Everlasting [Perennial] Pea; Lathyrus latifolius L. (Introduced) Cream Pea [Vetchling]; Lathyrus ochroleucus Hook. Marsh Pea (Vetchling]; Lathyrus palustris L. Shrub Lespedeza; Lespedeza bicolor Turcz. (Introduced) Roundheaded Bushclover [Lespedeza]; Lespedeza capitata Michx. Sericea Lespedeza; Lespedeza cuneata (Dum.-Cours.) G. Don (Introduced) Hairy Bush Clover [Lespedeza]; Lespedeza hirta (L.) Hornem. ssp. hirta Lespedeza capitata Michx. Trailing Lespedeza; Lespedeza procumbens Michx. Slender Bushclover [Lespedeza]; Lespedeza virginica (L.) Britton Birdfoot Trefoil; Lotus corniculatus L. (Introduced) Silvery Lupine; Lupinus argenteus Pursh Sundial [Wild] Lupine; Lupinus perennis L. ssp. Perennis Spotted Medick; Medicago arabica (L.) Huds. (Introduced) Black Medic; Medicago lupulina L. (Introduced) Alfalfa [Lucerne]; Medicago sativa L. (Introduced) [Yellow; White] Sweet Clover; Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam. (Introduced) Nuttall's Sensitive-Briar; Mimosa nuttallii (DC. ex Britton & Rose) B.L. Turner FABACEAE – PEA OR BEAN FAMILY Sampson's Snakeroot; Orbexilum pedunculatum (Mill.) Rydb. var. pedunculatum Purple Locoweed; Oxytropis lambertii Pursh Silky [White] Locoweed; Oxytropis sericea Nutt. Showy Locoweed; Oxytropis splendens Douglas ex Hook. Silverleaf Indian Breadroot [Scurfpea]; Pediomelum argophyllum (Pursh) J. Grimes Honey [Glandular] Mesquite; Prosopis glandulosa Torr. Slimflower Scurfpea [Scurfy Pea]; Psoralidium tenuiflorum (Pursh) Rydb. Kudzu; Pueraria montana (Lour.) Merr. var. lobata (Willd.) Maesen & S. Almeida (Introduced) Bristly Locust [Rose Acacia]; Robinia hispida L. Black Locust; Robinia pseudoacacia L. Prairie Snoutbean; Rhynchosia latifolia Nutt. ex Torr. & A. Gray American [Northern] Wild Senna; Senna hebecarpa (Fern.) Irwin & Barneby Southern Wild [Maryland] Senna; Senna marilandica (L.) Link Bigpod Sesbania; Sesbania herbacea (Mill.) McVaugh Mescal Bean [Texas Mountain Laurel]; Sophora secundiflora (Ortega) Lag. ex DC. Wild Bean [Amberique Bean]; Strophostyles helvola (L.) Elliott Pink Fussy Bean; Strophostyles umbellata (Muhl. ex Willd.) Britton [Sidebeak] Pencil Flower; Stylosanthes biflora (L.) B.S.P. [Virginia Tephrosia] Goat’s Rue; Tephrosia virginiana (L.) Pers. Spreadfruit Goldenbanner; Thermopsis divaricarpa A. Nelson FABACEAE – PEA OR BEAN FAMILY Rabbit-Foot Clover; Trifolium arvense L. (Introduced) Field Clover [Pinnate; Low Hop-Clover]; Trifolium campestre Schreb. (Introduced) Alpine [Whiproot] Clover; Trifolium dasyphyllum Torr. & A. Gray Suckling Clover [Least Hop-Clover]; Trifolium dubium Sibthorp (Introduced) Alsike Clover; Trifolium hybridum L. (Introduced) Crimson Clover; Trifolium incarnatum L. (Introduced) Parry's Clover; Trifolium parryi A. Gray Red Clover; Trifolium pratense L. (Introduced) [Annual] Buffalo Clover; Trifolium reflexum L. White Clover; Trifolium repens L. (Introduced) Carolina [Woodland] Vetch; Vicia caroliniana Walter Garden Vetch; Vicia sativa L. (var. segetalis & nigra) (Introduced) Hairy [Winter] Vetch; Vicia villosa Roth (Introduced) Winter Vetch; Vicia villosa Roth ssp. varia (Host) Corb. (Introduced) American Wisteria; Wisteria frutescens (L.) Poir. Chinese Wisteria; Wisteria sinensis (Sims) DC. (Introduced) [Singletary] Caley Pea USDA Lathyrus hirsutus L. (Introduced) Fabaceae (Pea or Bean Family) Batesville, Independence County, Arkansas Notes: 5-petaled flower, purple to pinkish to white with a white spot often on banner, keel usually white, 1-1.5 cm, 1-3 flowers, calyx teeth somewhat triangular; leaves compound, leaflets in pairs, linear to narrowly lanceolate; stem winged, stipules narrow, climbing or sprawling with tendrils; fruit pods hairy; late spring to early summer [V Max Brown, 2009] Beach Pea USDA Lathyrus japonicus Willd. (several varieties) Fabaceae (Pea or Bean Family) Whitefish Point, Chippewa County, Michigan Notes: 5-petaled flower, red, pink to purple (with white), on raceme; leaves with 2 to several leaflets, stipules large, triangular with basal lobe, are attached at base; stem not winged; Great Lakes and some northern ocean beaches; late spring to early fall [V Max Brown, 2008] Everlasting [Perennial] Pea USDA Lathyrus latifolius L. (Introduced) Fabaceae (Pea or Bean Family) Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: 5-petaled flower, rose (pink) to white, on long stalked racemes; leaves compound, leaflets in pairs; stem wide-winged, stipules wide; climbing or sprawling with tendrils; fruit pods smooth; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2004] Cream Pea [Vetchling] USDA Lathyrus ochroleucus Hook. Fabaceae (Pea or Bean Family) Upper Spearfish Canyon, Lawrence County, South Dakota Notes: vine; 5-petaled flower, creamy white-yellow, calyx smooth, on raceme; leaves pinnate, leaflets opposite, ovate to obovate, large somewhat cordate stipules; stem not winged; fruit a flattened pod; forest and meadow areas, low to high elevation; late spring to summer [V Max Brown, 2014] Marsh Pea [Vetchling] USDA Lathyrus palustris L. Fabaceae (Pea or Bean Family) Pokagon State Park, Steuben County, Indiana Notes: 5-petaled flower, red, pink to purple (white), calyx smooth, on raceme; leaves with 6 (4-12) leaflets, base of stipule with sharp lobe; stem slightly winged or not; marshy or wet areas; late spring to early fall [V Max Brown, 2007] Shrub Lespedeza USDA Lespedeza bicolor Turcz. (Introduced) Fabaceae (Pea or Bean Family) Pigeon River FWA, Lagrange County, Indiana Notes: shrub or sub-shrub (1-3 m); 5-petaled flower, red to purple, calyx lobes about as long as tube of flower, in dense erect racemes; leaf with petiole, 3 leaflets, hairy, about >3x long than wide, terminal leaflet with longer petiole, fine stipules present and persistent; plant erect; may escape from wildlife plots, native of Japan; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2009] Roundheaded Bushclover USDA [Lespedeza] Lespedeza capitata Michx. Fabaceae (Pea or Bean Family) Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: 5-petaled flower, cream-colored or white with purple marks inside, inflorescence generally ovoid; leaf short-stalked, 3 leaflets, silvery beneath, mostly >3x long than wide, terminal leaflet with longer petiole, stipules present; plant erect; late summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2006] Sericea Lespedeza USDA Lespedeza cuneata (Dum.-Cours.) G. Don (Introduced) Fabaceae (Pea or Bean Family) Greer Springs area, Oregon County, Missouri Notes: 5-petaled flower, white, cream-colored to slightly yellowish, usually with a purplish spot, inflorescences in axils toward top; 3 leaflets, stipules small; stem hair mainly on ridges; plant erect; often planted for erosion control; late summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2007] Hairy Bush Clover [Lespedeza] USDA Lespedeza hirta (L.) Hornem. ssp. hirta Fabaceae (Pea or Bean Family) Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: 5-petaled flower, white to cream-colored, inflorescence generally cylindrical, peduncle long; leaf long-stalked, 3 leaflets, ovoid to oblong (length <2x width), stipules small; plant erect and often tall; late summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2007] Trailing Lespedeza USDA Lespedeza procumbens Michx. Fabaceae (Pea or Bean Family) Taum Sauk Mountain State Park, Iron County, Missouri Notes: 5-petaled flower, rose to white, inflorescence with usually