TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora. |
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Annual to tree
Leaves generally compound, alternate, stipuled; leaflets generally entire
Inflorescence: generally raceme, spike, umbel or head; flowers sometime 12 in axils
Flowers generally bisexual, generally bilateral; hypanthium generally flat or cup-like; sepals generally 5, fused; petals generally 5, free, or the 2 lower ± fused; stamens 1many, often 10 with 9 filaments at least partly fused, 1 (uppermost) free; pistil 1, ovary superior, generally 1-chambered, ovules 1many, style, stigma 1
Fruit: legume, sometimes including a stalk-like base above receptacle, dehiscent, or indehiscent and breaking into 1-seeded segments, or indehiscent, 1-seeded, and achene-like
Seeds 1several, often ± reniform, generally hard, smooth
Genera in family: ± 650 genera, 18,000 species: worldwide; with grasses, requisite in agriculture and most natural ecosystems. Many cultivated, most importantly Arachis , peanut; Glycine , soybean; Phaseolus , beans; Medicago ; Trifolium ; and many orns
Reference: [Polhill & Raven (eds) 1981 Advances in legume systematics; Allen & Allen 1981 Leguminosae]
Family description and key to genera by Duane Isely.
Annual, perennial herb, shrub, unarmed
Leaves generally odd-1-pinnate (sometimes ± palmately compound, rarely some or most simple); stipules conspicuous or not; leaflets 3many, often irregularly arranged
Inflorescence: umbel or 12-flowered, axillary, generally peduncled, often bracted
Flower: corolla generally yellow (sometimes white or pink), fading darker; 9 filaments fused, 1 free
Fruit dehiscent or not, exserted from calyx or not, ovoid to oblong, ± beaked
Seeds 1several
Etymology: (Greek: derivation unclear)
Reference: [Isely 1981 Mem New York Bot Garden 25:128206]
Spp. generally variable; intermediates may be hybrids. Key below separates natural groups.
Native |
Perennial, glabrous or hairy
Stem sprawling or ascending
Leaf: stipules scarious, fragile; leaflets 311, ± opposite, 12.5 cm, generally elliptic to oblong
Inflorescence 26-flowered; peduncle bract 0 or just below umbel, simple or divided
Flower: calyx 46 mm, lobes < tube; corolla 813 mm, generally whitish yellow, claws included to slightly exserted from calyx tube
Fruit dehiscent, 2.55 cm, 1.52 mm wide, oblong
Seeds few
Ecology: Open, moist forests, river bottoms, marshy meadows, open pine woodland
Elevation: 2002600 m.
Bioregional distribution: California Floristic Province, Mojave Desert
Distribution outside California: s Oregon, w&s Nevada, Mexico
Native |
Leaf: leaflets 37, glabrous
Flower: corolla 89 mm
Ecology: UNCOMMON. Meadows, open pine woodland
Elevation: 24002600 m.
Bioregional distribution: s High Sierra Nevada
Synonyms: L. c. Greene