Fabaceae

Shaggy Vetch (Vicia villosa ), flowers and unripe sleeve

The legume ( Fabaceae or Leguminosae; earlier: Papilionaceae ), also known as legumes, are one of the most species-rich plant families and belong to the order of the butterfly -like flowers ( Fabales ). It comprises three sub-families, which are often treated as separate families, and other tribes, with a total of about 730 genera and nearly 20,000 species - with the largest genus within the vascular plants: Astragalus with about 2000 species. The origin of the family is suspected in the late Cretaceous period (65 million to 70 million years). The legumes are one of the few families that have two valid, alternatively usable scientific name: The name Leguminosae was created by Michel Adanson in 1763. It was not until 1836, the new name Fabaceae was formed by John Lindley. The nomenclatural type is the genus name for both Faba Miller, a synonym of Vicia L.

  • 6.1 Notes and references

Description

Appearance

There are, for a one-to two -year, or perennial herbaceous plants, or on the other woody plants: trees, shrubs and lianas. They grow up straight, crawling or climbing. In a number of species or varieties of crops, the stem axis circular movements usually lead in, rare counterclockwise from; there are twining plants that climb up on other plants or objects. Some species are epiphytes. Some species have xerophytic adaptations. The plants can be armed with spines or thorns.

Leaves and stipules

The most change-constant leaves are usually pinnate. In all subfamilies leaflets are originally present, which may be reduced in some genera and species of the terminal leaflet, such as the dyer's broom ( Genista tinctoria ), or only consist of three leaflets, as with the clover species ( Trifolium ). They can be very different in size.

In some species, the leaflets are completely or partially transformed in many species to vines; usually the tendrils are formed only on the terminal leaflet. If the terminal leaflet is modified into a tendril or missing, it's called pinnate pairs and if the terminal leaflet form in the normal, it is called imparipinnate. The Cercideae the leaves are simple.

There are Stipules present, which can be highly different depending on the type. The stipules may be transformed as the black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) thorns ( " Nebenblatt thorns " ), or they are such as in the vine pea ( Lathyrus aphaca ) is particularly large and take over the main assimilation function because the actual leaf organs are transformed into tendrils. Some species have a thickened body portion of the lower side sheet, can cause the movements ( " Pulvinus ").

In some species the leaves are reduced and phyllodes take on the task of photosynthesis.

Inflorescences and flowers

Its flowers are borne in racemose, aged men, paniculate, wrap shaped or capitate inflorescences.

The usually hermaphroditic, radial symmetry to zygomorphic flowers are usually fünfzählig with double perianth. Also monoecious getrenntgeschlechtige ( monoecious ) species occur particularly in the Mimosoideae. The most five (three to six) sepals are fused. The subfamilies differ particularly in the construction of the flowers.

In the vernation the petals Faboideae have a decreasing coverage, but at the Caesalpinioideae with ascending cover. There are usually five (one to five) petals present; at least three petals are each other freely. The typical butterfly-shaped flowers, it's about the corolla, is caused by the formation of the petals are usually five. The upper, mostly upright petal called flag ( " vexillum " ), the two sides are called wings ( " alae " ), the bottom two are finally more or less fused or bonded strongly and form the boat ( " Carina" ). The petals can be nailed. Only 26 genera of Caesalpinioideae, some genera of Swartzieae and Amorphieae missing bloom, then the stamens most striking and serve it with them usually bats as pollinators.

If ten stamens are present, then they are fused at the Faboideae usually all or only nine people and form a long tube ( or channel 9 fused ) surrounding the carpel; or the stamens are mutually free ( Sophora ). In the Mimosoideae three to one hundred stamens are present. Rarely only one or two stamens are present. In a few taxa the stamens with the petals are fused. Either all stamens fertile or part is converted to staminodes. The pollen grains have usually three or six, rare two, four or no apertures; they are usually colporat, or more rarely Porat, COLPAT, or rugat; they are almost always two-celled or dreizellig in a few Mimosoideae. In each flower, there are usually only a constant upper carpel; in a few Mimosoideae two to 16 free carpels are present.

Pollination is by insects ( entomophily ), birds ( Ornithophilie, especially in southern Australian species) or bats ( Chiropterophilie ). The transmission mechanisms of pollen on insects for pollination are very interesting in many species, there is for example an " explosion " mechanism ( Scotch broom, Cytisus scoparius ) or " folding mechanism " ( dyer's broom, Genista tinctoria ).

Fruit and seeds

The legume their name from the " legume ", a type of fruit, which occurs only here in all subfamilies. It is formed a legume, which usually opens at maturity to the abdominal and back seam. Rare are also members sleeves with breaking fruit ( Little bird foot, Ornithopus perpusillus ), which develop into nutlets are formed. Some taxa also form follicles, Samara, achenes or drupe -like fruits. In some Mimosoideae also several fruits can be united in a collective fruit. The fruits contain from one to a hundred seeds. The small to very large seeds are usually wingless or have rarely, as in some Mimosoideae, wings. The starch-containing or - free seeds can have a micropyle, which may be a zigzag pattern.

Symbiosis with bacteria and fungi

Most legumes go in their root nodules with nitrogen-fixing bacteria in a symbiosis ( rhizobia ). They make the fact regardless of the nitrate content of the soil and are extremely nitrogen- poor soils ( for example gum acacia in the " desert " ) is only viable. To protect the bacteria from oxygen legumes are able to form the oxygen -binding protein leghemoglobin.

Through their rhizobia legumes contribute to the fertility of the soil at ( see green manure ). In agriculture, they are therefore like to be planted for melioration as catch crops. The nitrogen fixation can reach 100 kg / ha per month.

In company with Phaseolus vulgaris a fungus was discovered that infects insects and their nitrogen passes on to the plant.

Ingredients

Legumes are highly nutritious plants that contain plenty of protein, vitamins and minerals, but also antinutrive substances. The antinutriven ingredients are the reason why legumes must be processed normally by boiling and / or germs.

In the seeds of many species of the Fabaceae, so-called lectins, which are here the glycoproteins, they can undergo specific binding with the carbohydrate groups of glycolipids and glycoproteins on the cell surface, similar to antigen-antibody reactions. The reaction can be carried out blood-group specific. Widespread occur toxic lectins, they are responsible, for example, in Phaseolus for the toxicity of raw fruit.

Frequently alkaloids are included. As a defense mechanism quinolizidine alkaloids are present; in so-called " sweet lupins " they were removed by cultivation, so that these varieties can be grown as animal feed. Other cyanogenic compounds are used as corrosion protection.

Also saponins are an important ingredient group dar. flavonols may be present.

Importance as crops

Because of their high protein content ( legumin ) and the large returns on small areas of fruit and seeds of legumes are an important part of the human diet almost worldwide. Particularly in the case of poor meat or vegetarian foods they are almost indispensable. Examples include peas, chickpeas, beans, azuki beans, lima beans and lentils to the subfamily of Fabaceae ( Faboideae ) belong. Often, only the seeds are eaten and are colloquially then the seeds - usually called " legumes " - pars pro toto. For example, green beans and sugar snap peas, fruits are eaten. Some legumes can also be eaten raw (for example, sugar peas), many are in the crude state but harmful and must be absolutely soaked before consumption and cooked through.

The vast majority of the carbohydrates present in the legumes are multiple sugars, especially raffinose; these are indigestible to humans and thus cause the known flatulence. The high fiber content of legumes is also due to this fact, because indigestible carbohydrates are nothing more than fiber.

Legumes in agriculture widely used as feed for ruminants and pigs.

Supply many kinds of tropical woods ( Rosewood: Dalbergia and Machaerium species, Sophora species ). Was planted as a forest plant in the temperate zones of the black locust and wild. Many species and varieties are used as ornamental plants.

System

The family includes about 730 genera and nearly 20,000 species. It is in three subfamilies and about 35 tribes divided ( see subfamilies and genera Tribe ):

  • Fabaceae ( Faboideae ): With 28 tribes, about 476 genera and about 13855 species. They have the typical zygomorphic flowers butterfly.
  • Abreae
  • Amorpheae
  • Bossiaeeae
  • Brongniartieae
  • Cicereae
  • Crotalarieae
  • Dalbergieae
  • Mimosa plants ( Mimosoideae ): With three tribes, about 82 genera and about 3275 species. The flowers are mostly radial symmetry.
  • Acacieae
  • Ingeae
  • Mimoseae
  • Locust bean plants ( Caesalpinioideae ): With approximately 140 genera and over 1000 woody species. The flowers are usually zygomorphic:
  • Caesalpinieae
  • Cassieae
  • Today few tribes are not assigned to any of the three sub-families: Tribus Cercideae with four to twelve genera and about 265 species (formerly the subfamily Caesalpinioideae ).
  • Tribus Detarieae: With about 22 genera and about 750 species. They contain tannins and terpenoids and usually form resins.

The research this decade show that more groups must be separated from the sub-families, so that the subfamilies are monophyletic. In this case, probably the subfamily Faboideae we see today seems to be monophyletic. The Tribe Cassieae S. L. is polyphyletic. The subfamily Caesalpinioideae is largely resolved.

Synonyms of Fabaceae Lindl family. are: Acaciaceae E.Mey, Aspalathaceae Martynov, Astragalaceae Bercht. . & J.Presl, Caesalpiniaceae R.Br., nom. cons. , Cassiaceae Vest, Ceratoniaceae link Detariaceae ( DC.) Hess, Hedysaraceae Oken, Inocarpaceae inches., Leguminosae Adans. , nom. cons. , Mimosaceae R.Br., nom. cons. , Papilionaceae Giseke, nom. cons. , Phaseolaceae Schnitzl. , Swartziaceae ( DC.) Bartl. , Viciaceae Bercht. & J.Presl.

323981
de