Trees, shrubs or herbs, sometimes climbing or trailing, occasionally spiny.
Leaves alternate or sometimes opposite or whorled, usually compound (variously bipinnate, pinnate or palmate) or simple, sometimes reduced to scales or modified into phyllodes; stipules usually present and sometimes spinose, stipels often present.
Inflorescences racemose or paniculate, sometimes umbellate or cymose or flowers solitary; bracts and bracteoles commonly below flowers, often caducous. Flowers actinomorphic or zygomorphic, usually bisexual, commonly 5-merous. Sepals usually 5, free or more often variously fused into a toothed tube. Petals usually 5, free or sometimes fused, equal or unequal. Stamens commonly 10 or sometimes <10 or numerous, free or variously fused, sometimes reduced to staminodes; anthers 2-locular, opening by longitudinal slits or rarely by pores; uniform or dimorphic. Ovary superior; carpel solitary; ovules usually 2–many, attached to the upper suture; style and stigma terminal.
Fruit usually a pod (legume), mostly dehiscent along both sutures or only along upper suture or sometimes indehiscent or rarely a lomentum [or drupaceous or nut-like]; seeds 1 to many, often with a hard impervious coat, aril often developed but often inconspicuous.
The family is of great economic importance for food, timber, forage crops, dyes and horticulturally. Most species have root nodules containing bacteria (Rhizobium species) which are capable of taking up atmospheric nitrogen and converting it into other nitrogenous compounds. Thus many species are capable of growing well in relatively poor soils, and any are commonly grown as fertilizer crops. Following recent trends this family is accepted with 3 subfamilies (often treated as 3 separate families) distinguished as follows.
Leaves simple or compound (mostly pinnate or palmate) with 1-many leaflets, rarely absent; stipules usually present.
Inflorescences various; each flower on a pedicel subtended by a lower bract and with often 2 similar bracteoles just below the calyx or attached on the calyx tube. Flowers strongly zygomorphic. Calyx mostly unequally toothed, often 2-lipped. Corolla papilionaceous, petals unequal; upper petal (the standard) usually largest and borne externally to the adjacent lateral petals (wings), lower petals innermost and mostly fused (the keel) and enfolding the stamens and gynoecium. Stamens 10, free or more often monadelphous with the filaments fused to form a closed or open sheath around the gynoecium, or the uppermost filament often ± free so that the stamens are diadelphous; anthers 2-locular, dehiscing by longitudinal slits, all uniform or sometimes dimorphic and alternating in size.
Fruit commonly a pod or sometimes a lomentum; seeds usually arillate, though often inconspicuous.
The seeds and pods of many of the herbaceous species are eaten by humans as food; these are especially valued for their high protein content. Some, especially species of Trifolium and Medicago, are cultivated and used for feeding to livestock or ploughed in as a fertilizer. A number of species are used for timber, while many species are widely grown as ornamentals. This subfamily is often treated as the family Fabaceae s.str. or Papilionaceae. Bituminaria, Centrosema, Lablab, Phaseolus, Spartium are included in the key to genera (marked by **). Species of these genera are cultivated as ornamentals or food plants; however, they are not known to be fully naturalized in N.S.W., as a result they are not described in the text.
| | Key to the genera | |
| 1 | All leaves with 1 leaflet, simple, reduced, or absent. | 2 |
| Leaves compound, comprised of 2 or more leaflets, rarely some leaves 1-foliolate. | 4 |
| 2 | Leaves absent or reduced to spines or scales. | 7 |
| Leaves simple or 1-foliolate.
Back to 1 | 3 |
| 3 | Leaves simple. | 16 |
| Leaves 1-foliolate, an articulation at junction of petiole with lamina.
Back to 2 | 39 |
| 4 | Leaflets even in number, rachis often ending in a bristle or tendril. | 47 |
| Leaflets odd in number, rachis ending in a leaflet or character not obvious.
Back to 1 | 5 |
| 5 | Leaflets 5 (or more rarely some leaves 3-foliolate). | 91 |
| Leaflets 3.
Back to 4 | 6 |
| 6 | Leaves palmately 3-foliolate, all 3 petiolules ± equal. | 52 |
| Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate, central petiolule longer than lateral petiolules.
Back to 5 | 62 |
| 7 | Stamens all free. | 8 |
| Stamens variously fused.
Back to 2 | 12 |
| 8 | Flowers yellow, in long racemes and panicles; calyx teeth equal, shorter than tube; pods ovoid, thin, indehiscent. | Viminaria |
| Not as above.
Back to 7 | 9 |
| 9 | Flowers in axillary racemes, sometimes umbellate or reduced to 1 flower; barren bracts present on peduncle; pods ± triangular or (rarely) ovoid. | Daviesia |
| Combination of characters not as above.
Back to 8 | 10 |
| 10 | Upper 2 calyx teeth much enlarged and mostly fused; bracteoles large, round, caducous; pods globose. | Sphaerolobium |
| Combination of characters not as above.
Back to 9 | 11 |
| 11 | Calyx teeth imbricate in bud. | Isotropis |
| Calyx teeth valvate in bud.
Back to 10 | Jacksonia |
| 12 | Upper stamen ± free, lower 9 joined in a sheath. | 13 |
| All 10 stamens fused in a tube or sheath.
Back to 7 | 14 |
| 13 | Trees with red to orange flowers 3–5 cm long; leafless at flowering. | Erythrina |
| Shrubs or subshrubs with ± pink flowers <1 cm long; leaves present at flowering.
Back to 12 | Indigofera |
| 14 | All 10 stamens joined in a tube; prickly shrubs with yellow flowers. | Ulex |
| All 10 stamens joined in a sheath split on upper side; plants and flower colour variable.
Back to 12 | 15 |
| 15 | Anthers with perceptible connective, all dorsifixed, uniform in size; branches flat with blunt apex. | Bossiaea |
| Anthers with an inconspicuous connective, alternately basifixed and dorsifixed the latter often smaller; branches terete or flat with rigid, sharply pointed apex.
Back to 14 | Templetonia |
| 16 | Stipules fused behind the axillary bud, margins scarious. | Pultenaea |
| Stipules free or absent.
Back to 3 | 17 |
| 17 | Stamens free or fused at very base. | 18 |
| Stamens variously fused.
Back to 16 | 30 |
| 18 | Upper 2 calyx teeth fused into a broad notched lip, lower 3 very small and narrow; bracteoles large, round, caducous; leaves tiny, caducous; pods globose. | Sphaerolobium |
| Not as above.
Back to 17 | 19 |
| 19 | Ovary partly divided by a longitudinal partition inside and/or pods longitudinally grooved above. | Mirbelia |
| Combination of characters not as above.
Back to 18 | 20 |
| 20 | Ovules 4 or more. | 21 |
| Ovules 2.
Back to 19 | 25 |
| 21 | Standard purple-veined behind; upper 2 caly teeth fused most of the way into a broad lip. | Isotropis |
| Combination of characters not as above.
Back to 20 | 22 |
| 22 | Calyx teeth abutted in bud; pods ± globose. | Gompholobium |
| Calyx teeth overlapping in bud; pods ovoid or more elongated.
Back to 21 | 23 |
| 23 | Keel about twice as long as wings; leaves ± opposite or whorled. | 24 |
| 24 | Stipules ± rigid, recurved or spreading; hairs on stems laterally attached, ± 2-branched; bracts simple. | Podolobium |
| Stipules bristly or absent; hairs on stems simple; bracts 3-lobed.
Back to 23 | Oxylobium |
| 25 | Pods triangular (sometimes turgid) glabrous; flowers in often modified or reduced racemes with barren bracts on peduncle; bracteoles absent. | Daviesia |
| Combination of characters not as above.
Back to 20 | 26 |
| 26 | Leaves with recurved to revolute margins; seeds without an aril. | 27 |
| Leaves flat with flat to involute margins or terete to trigonous and grooved above; seeds with aril.
Back to 25 | 28 |
| 27 | Bracteoles absent. | Aotus |
| Bracteoles present, 4–15 mm long, usually green and leaf-like.
Back to 26 | Phyllota |
| 28 | Leaves opposite, in 2 rows. | Eutaxia |
| Leaves alternate, scattered or crowded.
Back to 26 | 29 |
| 29 | Standard much broader than long. | Dillwynia |
| Standard slightly longer than broad.
Back to 28 | Almaleea |
| 30 | All 10 stamens fused from base in a tube closed or open on upper side. | 31 |
| Upper stamen free at least at base, other 9 joined in a sheath.
Back to 17 | 37 |
| 31 | All stamens fused in a closed tube. | 32 |
| All stamens fused in a sheath open along upper side.
Back to 30 | 33 |
| 32 | Calyx with 5 small teeth, split to base on upper side; anthers bearded at base. | Spartium |
| Calyx 2-lipped, not as above; anthers not bearded.
Back to 31 | Cytisus |
| 33 | Calyx usually with 5 (rarely 4) subequal teeth; alternate anthers long and short with longer ones more than one and a half times longer. | Crotalaria |
| Upper 2 calyx teeth joined higher than others or greatly enlarged; anthers uniform or alternate anthers longer but not more than one and a half times as long as shorter ones.
Back to 31 | 34 |
| 34 | Anthers with perceptible connective, all dorsifixed, uniform in size; leaves distichous. | 35 |
| Anthers without conspicuous connective, alternately dorsifixed and basifixed, the former often smaller; leaves spirally inserted.
Back to 33 | 36 |
| 35 | Pods not thickly and narrowly margined or keeled above, with flattish valves; leaves absent, alternate or opposite; upper calyx teeth not as enlarged as below. | Bossiaea |
| Pods with a thin conspicuous wing above, valves rolling back; leaves opposite; upper calyx teeth greatly enlarged, >6 times as long as lower teeth.
Back to 34 | Platylobium |
| 36 | Petals blue or purple; pods not or scarcely longer than broad. | Hovea |
| Petals yellow, red or reddish purple; pods at least one and a half times longer than broad.
Back to 34 | Templetonia |
| 37 | Anthers tipped by a small raised gland; covered with ± appressed, laterally attached hairs. | Indigofera |
| Anthers not as above.
Back to 30 | 38 |
| 38 | Rigid shrubs with spiny branches; pods ± straight and smooth. | Alhagi |
| More or less prostrate herbs, branches not spiny; pods twisted and ± spiny.
Back to 37 | Scorpiurus |
| 39 | Stipules fused behind the axillary bud, margins scarious. | Pultenaea |
| Stipules free or absent.
Back to 3 | 40 |
| 40 | Stamens all free. | Isotropis |
| Stamens variously fused.
Back to 39 | 41 |
| 41 | All 10 stamens fused, in a sheath split along upper side, at least towards base. | 42 |
| Stamens all or mostly fused but not as above.
Back to 40 | 45 |
| 42 | Calyx with 5 (rarely 4) ± equal teeth; alternate anthers more than one and a half times longer than others. | Crotalaria |
| Upper 2 calyx teeth joined higher than others or greatly enlarged; anthers uniform or not differing by more than one and a half times in length.
Back to 41 | 43 |
| 43 | Anthers with inconspicuous connective, alternately basifixed and dorsifixed, the latter often smaller; leaves spirally inserted. | Templetonia |
| Anthers with perceptible connective, all dorsifixed, uniform in size; leaves distichous.
Back to 42 | 44 |
| Keel much shorter than wings or beaked; leaves mostly alternate.
Back to 43 | Chorizema |
| 44 | Pods not or relatively thickly and narrowly margined or keeled above, valves flattish; upper calyx teeth not as enlarged as below. | Bossiaea |
| Pods with thin conspicuous wing above, valves thin and rolling back; upper calyx teeth nearly as long as standard, enormously expanded relative to lower teeth.
Back to 43 | Platylobium |
| 45 | Pods transversely jointed or constricted, divided into 1–8, indehiscent, 1-seeded articles. | 114 |
| Pods continuous, not jointed, often short and 1- or 2-seeded.
Back to 41 | 46 |
| 46 | All 10 stamens joined in a closed tube; erect shrubs. | Cytisus |
| Upper stamen free, other 9 stamens joined in an open sheath; climbing or prostrate subshrubs.
Back to 45 | Hardenbergia |
| 47 | Leaves ending in a tendril; climbing herbs. | 48 |
| Leaves not ending in a tendril; shrubs or non-climbing herbs.
Back to 4 | 50 |
| 48 | Stipules of similar appearance and size to leaflets (or larger). | Pisum |
| Stipules smaller and narrower than leaflets.
Back to 47 | 49 |
| 49 | Leaflets one pair. | Lathyrus |
| Leaflets 2 to many pairs.
Back to 48 | Vicia |
| 50 | Leaflets 2–6 and >3 cm long, 10–45 mm wide; flowers >2 cm long. | Vicia |
| Leaflets 2–60 and <3 cm long, 1–15 mm wide; flowers <1 cm long.
Back to 47 | 51 |
| 51 | Leaves with >10 leaflets; erect annual, >40 cm high; fruit not jointed, not breaking into 1-seeded articles. | Sesbania |
| Leaves with 2 or 4 leaflets; prostrate to erect subshrubs, <40 cm high; fruit jointed, breaking into 1-seeded articles.
Back to 50 | Zornia |
| 52 | Stamens all free; leaves sessile or nearly so; pods globose or nearly so. | Gompholobium |
| Stamens variously fused; leaves petiolate; pods various, rarely ± globose.
Back to 6 | 53 |
| 53 | All 10 stamens fused in a sheath open along the upper side. | 54 |
| Stamens all fused in a closed tube, or upper one wholly or partly free.
Back to 52 | 56 |
| 54 | Upper 2 calyx teeth greatly enlarged and/or joined higher than lower 3. | Muelleranthus |
| Calyx teeth ± equal, or if not equal, then not as above.
Back to 53 | 55 |
| 55 | Procumbent herbs; leaves in groups of 3 to 5; pods linear to oblong. | Lotononis |
| Not as above; pods inflated.
Back to 54 | Crotalaria |
| 56 | Leaves dotted with glands, at least on lower surface. | 57 |
| Leaves not dotted with glands.
Back to 53 | 58 |
| 57 | Fruit densely glandular. | Cullen |
| Fruit not glandular.
Back to 56 | Bituminaria |
| 58 | Plants herbaceous (sometimes woody at base). | 59 |
| Plants shrubby.
Back to 56 | 60 |
| 59 | Plants twining or trailing (usually woody at base); inflorescences racemose. | Glycine |
| Plants erect to procumbent; inflorescences head-like, spicate or umbellate.
Back to 58 | Trifolium |
| 60 | Keel petals curved along lower surface; style curved throughout its length. | 61 |
| Keel petals oblong, straight along lower surface; style curved abruptly near the apex.
Back to 58 | Genista |
| 61 | Flowers creamy white; calyx tubular, 9–10 mm long; stems ± terete, with obscure ridges. | Chamaecytisus |
| Flowers yellow; calyx campanulate, c. 6 mm long; stems prominently angular.
Back to 60 | Cytisus |
| 62 | Stipels clearly and consistently present at base of each leaflet, rarely gland-like; frequently twining or climbing plants. | 63 |
| Stipels absent, minute or inconsistently present.
Back to 6 | 81 |
| 63 | Trees or robust woody climbers with leaflets at least 5 cm long, and large showy flowers at least 2 cm long, sometimes plants leafless at flowering. | 64 |
| Not as above.
Back to 62 | 66 |
| 64 | Trees with red flowers; keel much shorter than standard. | Erythrina |
| Woody climbers, flowers greenish or purple, blue or pink with yellow spot; keel equal to or longer than standard.
Back to 63 | 65 |
| 65 | Leaves ± glabrous; keel longer than standard; pods with 2 wings along each margin, at first covered with irritant hairs, then ± glabrous. | Mucuna |
| Leaves pubescent; keel ± equal to standard; pods not as above, softly villous.
Back to 64 | Pueraria |
| 66 | Styles bearded, or hairy more than halfway. | 67 |
| Styles glabrous, or hairy less than halfway.
Back to 63 | 71 |
| 67 | Styles abruptly divided into thin basal part and thickened upper part. | 68 |
| Styles uniformly thick or thin, or tapering.
Back to 66 | 70 |
| 68 | Styles with thickened part (and keel) twisted through more than 360°. | Phaseolus |
| Styles with thickened part twisted through no more than 360°, usually <180°.
Back to 67 | 69 |
| 69 | Thickened part of styles bent through 90° just above the base, then curved slightly narrowed towards the apex, resembling a squarish hook. | Macroptilium |
| Styles not as above, variously and smoothly curved.
Back to 68 | Vigna |
| 70 | Styles straight and blade-like; standard mostly purple. | Lablab |
| Styles strongly curved near base and apex in one direction, gently curved in middle in opposite direction; standard pinkish.
Back to 67 | Dipogon |
| 71 | Leaves dotted with yellow resinous glands; pods acuminate, with oblique grooves between seeds, striped with maroon or purplish black. | Cajanus |
| Not as above.
Back to 66 | 72 |
| 72 | Herbs or shrubs, rarely twining; pods transversely jointed or constricted, separating into 1–8, indehiscent, 1-seeded articles. | 114 |
| Stems long and trailing or twining (except rarely Hardenbergia); pods not as above.
Back to 71 | 73 |
| 73 | Flowers solitary or clustered in leaf axils, or 1 or 2 on axillary peduncles. | 74 |
| Flowers several to many in axillary racemes, sometimes clustered at apex of peduncle.
Back to 72 | 75 |
| 74 | Standard white or greenish yellow; bracteoles ± subulate. | Macrotyloma |
| Standard showy, predominantly shades of red or purple; bracteoles absent.
Back to 73 | Kennedia |
| 75 | Pods with prominent longitudinal rib(s) near suture(s), or winged. | 76 |
| Pods not as above.
Back to 73 | 77 |
| 76 | Lowermost calyx lobe much longer than others; pods linear with an acicular beak. | Centrosema |
| Lower 3 calyx teeth equal or absent; pods oblong, not or slightly beaked.
Back to 75 | Canavalia |
| 77 | Calyx with 5 teeth, or slightly 2-lipped by upper 2 teeth more joined than lower 3. | 78 |
| Upper 2 calyx teeth joined to or almost to apex, calyx appearing 4-lobed or 2-lipped.
Back to 75 | 79 |
| 78 | Flowers solitary along rachis of inflorescence. | Glycine |
| Flowers in clusters of 3 or more along rachis of inflorescence.
Back to 77 | Neonotonia |
| 79 | Seeds with aril; bracteoles absent. | Kennedia |
| Seeds without aril; bracteoles present although often small or caducous.
Back to 77 | 80 |
| 80 | Upper stamen joined with other 9 in tube, or becoming free; stipules produced downward from base, usually >15 mm long. | Pueraria |
| Upper stamen free, other 9 fused; stipules smaller than above, not produced downward.
Back to 79 | Galactia |
| 81 | Stamens all fused by filaments into sheath open along upper side; pods dehiscent. | Goodia |
| Stamens not as above or if (rarely) so, then pods indehiscent.
Back to 62 | 82 |
| 82 | Margins of leaflets toothed or crenulate, or if entire then plants dotted with immersed (not superficial) glands. | 83 |
| Margins of leaflets entire, not gland-dotted.
Back to 81 | 87 |
| 83 | Leaflets dotted with immersed black or shining glands (sometimes obscured by hairs). | Cullen |
| Leaflets not gland-dotted.
Back to 82 | 84 |
| 84 | Pods enclosed in calyx; corolla persistent in fruit. | Trifolium |
| Pods exceeding calyx; corolla not persistent in fruit.
Back to 83 | 85 |
| 85 | Pods ovoid, straight, indehiscent; flowers in slender elongated racemes. | Melilotus |
| Not as above.
Back to 84 | 86 |
| 86 | Pods short, spirally coiled or rarely curved, usually indehiscent. | Medicago |
| Pods long, linear, curved, tardily dehiscent.
Back to 85 | Trigonella |
| 87 | Lower surface of leaflets, calyx and sometimes petals covered with superficial yellow or orange resinous gland dots (sometimes obscure). | Rhynchosia |
| Not as above.
Back to 82 | 88 |
| 88 | Calyx of 4 acuminate teeth by union of upper 2 teeth. | Galactia |
| Calyx otherwise.
Back to 87 | 89 |
| 89 | Inflorescence a raceme, sometimes few-flowered and subumbellate; pods exserted. | 90 |
| Flowers 1-several, clustered in leaf axils, or in heads or spikes; pods enclosed in calyx.
Back to 88 | Lespedeza |
| 90 | Styles bearded. | Swainsona |
| Styles not bearded.
Back to 89 | Canavalia |
| 91 | Stamens all free, or rarely filaments shortly fused at base. | 92 |
| Stamens mostly fused by filaments.
Back to 5 | 94 |
| 92 | Shrubs; leaflets usually <5 mm wide, terminal one sessile; pods globose, <1 cm long; keel petals free or almost so. | Gompholobium |
| Trees or tall shrubs; leaflets >5 mm wide; pods elongate, >3 cm long; keel petals fused.
Back to 91 | 93 |
| 93 | Leaves ± glabrous; inflorescences in axils of old leaves or on old wood; pods dehiscent, 3–5 cm diam., woody, turgid; flowers 3–4 cm long. | Castanospermum |
| Leaves densely hairy; inflorescences terminal; pods ± indehiscent, <1 cm diam., prominently constricted between seeds; flowers <2.5 cm long.
Back to 92 | Sophora |
| 94 | Anthers tipped by small raised gland; covered with more or less appressed laterally attached hairs. | Indigofera |
| Not as above.
Back to 91 | 95 |
| 95 | Herbs; leaves with 5 or 9 leaflets, upper 3 palmate at rachis summit, lowest 2 at its base often resembling stipules; actual stipules minute; 5 alternate or all filaments dilated upwards. | Lotus |
| Not as above.
Back to 94 | 96 |
| 96 | Stamens all fused in a sheath open along the upper side; pods dehiscent. | 97 |
| Stamens variously fused, not as above, or if (rarely) so, then pods indehiscent and usually ornamented or winged.
Back to 95 | 99 |
| 97 | Leaves palmately compound. | 98 |
| Leaves pinnately compound.
Back to 96 | Ptychosema |
| 98 | Pods inflated; style with a line of hairs on inner surface; calyx >11 mm long, glabrous; flowers yellow. | Crotalaria |
| Pods not inflated, ± flat; style glabrous; calyx mostly <11 mm long; flowers usually blue or purple, occasionally yellow.
Back to 97 | Lupinus |
| 99 | Stipules becoming enlarged and spinose; deciduous trees. | Robinia |
| Stipules not spinose; plants not deciduous.
Back to 96 | 100 |
| 100 | Styles exserted from keel, incurved to hooked; wings petals greatly reduced; woody rainforest climbers. | Austrosteenisia |
| Not as above.
Back to 99 | 101 |
| 101 | Prostrate herbs with erect pseudo-umbels; flowers red, showy, c. 8 cm long; keel beaked; standard reflexed, acute, with a shining (usually) black boss. | Swainsona |
| Not as above.
Back to 100 | 102 |
| 102 | Standard silky or woolly behind; leaflets with lateral veins numerous, parallel, ascending to the margin; pods linear or oblong, not woody; herbs or shrubs. | Tephrosia |
| Not as above.
Back to 101 | 103 |
| 103 | Styles bearded. | 104 |
| Styles glabrous, or pubescent near base.
Back to 102 | 105 |
| 104 | Standard shorter than keel; flowers >3 cm long; shrubs to 1 m high. | Sutherlandia |
| Standard ± equal to or longer than keel; flowers usually <3 cm long; herbs or subshrubs.
Back to 103 | Swainsona |
| 105 | Leaflets dotted with black glands. | 106 |
| Leaflets not dotted with glands.
Back to 103 | 108 |
| 106 | Leaves pinnately compound, leaflets 5–17. | 107 |
| Leaves palmately compound with 3–7 leaflets.
Back to 105 | Cullen |
| 107 | Leaflets 5–11; flowers solitary or in axillary clusters towards end of stem. | Psoralea |
| Leaflets 5–17; flowers in axillary spike-like racemes.
Back to 106 | Glycyrrhiza |
| 108 | Pods indehiscent, ± flat, thin, winged or keeled; woody climbers or somewhat shrubby. | Derris |
| Pods various, not as above; habit various.
Back to 105 | 109 |
| 109 | Pods with several seeds, not transversely jointed, 2-valved. | 110 |
| Pods jointed and separating into 1-seeded articles, or short 1-seeded and bristly.
Back to 108 | 111 |
| 110 | Woody climbers in or near rainforest; flowers purplish. | Callerya |
| Herbaceous weeds in drier habitats; flowers yellowish.
Back to 109 | Astragalus |
| 111 | All or alternate filaments dilated upwards. | 112 |
| Filaments not dilated upwards.
Back to 109 | 113 |
| 112 | Keel acute or beaked; pods 4-angled. | Coronilla |
| Keel obtuse; pods terete or compressed.
Back to 111 | Ornithopus |
| 113 | Pods 1-seeded, not jointed, bristly. | Onobrychis |
| Pods jointed, of 2 or more 1-seeded articles, not bristly.
Back to 111 | Aeschynomene |
| 114 | Flowers in dense spike-like racemes; fruit ± enclosed by calyx; articles 2, folded back on each other. | Uraria |
| Flowers in open racemes or clusters; fruit not enclosed by calyx; articles 1–8, not folded back on each other.
Back to 72 | 115 |
| 115 | Leaves 1-foliolate; bracts filiform. | Pleurolobus |
| Leaves mostly 3-foliolate, occasionally a few 1-foliolate or 5-foliolate; bracts not filiform.
Back to 114 | 116 |
| 116 | Branches spinescent; petioles 2–4 mm long; leaflets oblanceolate to oblong, 0.3–2.5 cm long, 1–6 mm wide. | Pedleya |
| Branches not spinescent; petioles >4 mm long; leaflets various, 0.5–10 cm long, 5–45 mm wide.
Back to 115 | 117 |
| 117 | Leaflets with a conspicuous silver stripe on upper surface. | Desmodium |
| Leaflets uniformly green on upper surface.
Back to 116 | 118 |
| 118 | Pod articles inflated; leaflets lanceolate, 4–10 cm long, 4–10 times longer than wide. | Desmodiopsis |
| Pod articles flat; leaflets smaller and/or less elongate.
Back to 117 | 119 |
| 119 | Leaflets hairy on both surfaces. | 120 |
| Leaflets ± glabrous on upper surface.
Back to 118 | 121 |
| 120 | Leaflets with both surfaces appressed-pubescent; apex of leaflets ± obtuse; flowers purple, c. 6 mm long. | Desmodium |
| Leaflets with both surfaces sparsely to densely hairy; apex of leaflets acute to acuminate; flowers pink to blue, c. 10 mm long.
Back to 119 | Desmodium |
| 121 | Lower surface of leaflets sparsely hairy with minute, hooked hairs, often appearing glabrous; leaflets drying ± blue-black. | Oxytes |
| Lower surface of leaflets sparsely to densely hairy with longer, appressed hairs, sometimes with hairs restricted to veins; leaflets not drying blue-black.
Back to 119 | 122 |
| 122 | Stipules 5–15 mm long. | Grona |
| Stipules 2–6 mm long.
Back to 121 | 123 |
| 123 | Leaves with terminal petiolule similar to lateral ones, ≤1 mm long; leaflets ± rhombic and truncate at the apex or rarely broad-obovate or rounded. | Pullenia |
| Leaves with terminal petiolule longer than lateral ones, usually 2–4.5 mm long; leaflets lanceolate, oblong or oblanceolate.
Back to 122 | Desmodium |
