NEW SOUTH WALES FLORA ONLINE

Printable Page

Description: Trees, shrubs or herbs, sometimes climbing or twining.

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.

Distribution and occurrence: World: c. 500 gen., 12 000 spp., widespread, chiefly trop. to temp. regions. Aust.: c. 140 gen., 1100 spp., all States.

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 adapted from Crisp (1983)

Flower parts in Faboideae. A, side view of flower; B, separated petals (front view); C, diadelphous stamens with upper stamen free, anthers uniform; D, monadelphous stamens with all filaments fused into a tube, anthers alternately long and short.

Taxa not yet included in identification key
Abrus,    Alysicarpus,    Austrocallerya,    Callistachys,    Carmichaelia,    Grona,    Kummerowia,    Lessertia,    Maekawaea,    Oxytes,    Pedleya,    Pleurolobus,    Pullenia,    Securigera,    Stylosanthes,    Uraria,    Wisteria

	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 (includes 43A Uraria).	Desmodium
	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 (includes 43A Uraria).	Desmodium
	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