FABACEAE

LEGUME FAMILY

Annual to tree
Leaves generally compound, alternate, stipuled; leaflets generally entire
Inflorescence: generally raceme, spike, umbel or head; flowers sometime 1–2 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 1–many, often 10 with 9 filaments at least partly fused, 1 (uppermost) free; pistil 1, ovary superior, generally 1-chambered, ovules 1–many, 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 1–several, 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.

HOITA

James W. Grimes

Perennial, unarmed, gland-dotted; hairs or stalked glands, or both, at least above; caudex woody
Stem prostrate (including stolon) to erect; base green to gray-brown
Leaves odd-1-pinnate, cauline; stipules free; leaflets 3
Inflorescence: raceme, axillary; bract 1, deciduous; flowers 2–3 per node, pedicelled
Flower: calyx lobes > tube, lowest ± keeled, > others, tube flaring only slightly in fruit; corolla at least partly blue to purple; 9 filaments fused, 1 less so or free; ovary hairy, ovule 1, style tip curved or bent, stigma feathery
Fruit indehiscent, unevenly elliptic, brown to black, hairy; veins obvious
Seed ± reniform
Species in genus: 3 species: CA, Baja CA
Etymology: (native American name)
Reference: [Grimes 1990 Mem New York Bot Gard 61:1–114]