| TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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Jepson Interchange (more information) |
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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. |
AND IS MAINTAINED FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY |
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.
Annual or perennial herb, unarmed, glabrous or hairy, rarely glandular, generally rhizomed
Stem sprawling, climbing, or erect; stem angled, flanged, or winged
Leaves even-1-pinnate; stipules persistent, upper lobe > lower; main axis ending as a tendril or short bristle; leaflets 0–16, ± opposite or alternate, linear to widely ovate
Inflorescence: raceme, generally axillary, 1–many-flowered
Flower: upper calyx lobes generally < and wider than lower; corolla 8–30 mm, pink-purple or pale, sometimes white or yellow; 9 filaments fused, 1 free; style flat, finely hairy on concave side
Fruit dehiscent, oblong, ± flat
Species in genus: ± 150 species: temp North America, Eurasia
Etymology: (Ancient Greek name)
Reference: [Broich 1987 Syst Bot 12:139–153]
Some species variable, intergrading with others; some hybridization probable.Seeds of most alien species. TOXIC to humans (especially young males) and livestock (especially horses) .
| Introduced |
Annual, hairy
Stem sprawling or climbing, generally winged
Leaf: stipules small; leaflets 2, 3–6 cm, narrowly elliptic to ovate, length 1.2–3 X width; tendril branched, coiled
Inflorescence 2–4-flowered, open
Flower: calyx tube ± = lobes; corolla 20–30 mm, white, pink, or purple
Fruit < 6 cm, hairy
Chromosomes: 2n=14
Ecology: Uncommon. Disturbed areas
Elevation: especially < 1000 m.
Bioregional distribution: California Floristic Province
Distribution outside California: to e US; native to Europe
Widely cultivated.