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Botanical Family · Fabales

Fabaceae

Legume/Bean family

318 speciesOrder Fabales8+ well-known plants

One of the largest flowering plant families, commonly known as the legume or bean family. Characterised by pod-like fruits (legumes) and often symbiotic nitrogen-fixing root nodules. Includes trees, shrubs, herbs, and climbers spanning tropical to temperate zones.

Browse all 318 species ↓
Representative FABACEAE specimen
Representative specimen · Fabaceae
Key pattern

Banner, wings and keel — the five petals form a distinctive three-part flower, usually with pinnate leaves and pea-like pods.

Most Fabaceae species host nitrogen-fixing bacteria in small root nodules — look for pinkish bumps on the roots. The family ranges from staple food (peas, beans, groundnut) to toxic, with alkaloids often concentrated in the seed coat.

Identify the species

Which Fabaceae species is this?

Answer what you can see and narrow it down to a single Fabaceae species.

Click a node to trace its path · pinch or scroll to zoom · drag to pan
HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?
Climbing vine
Herb
Shrub
Tree
Leaf SurfaceWhat does the leaf surface feel or look like?
Glabrous
Glabrous (smooth, hairless)
Glaucous (waxy blue-grey bloom)
Hirsute (coarsely hairy)
Pubescent (softly hairy)
Tomentose
Tomentose (woolly, matted hairs)
Flower ColorWhat color are the flowers?
Purple
White
Flower ColorWhat color are the flowers?
Purple
White
Yellow
Leaf TypeIs the leaf a single blade, or divided into leaflets?
Pinnately compound
Pinnately compound (leaflets in rows along a stalk)
Trifoliate (three leaflets)
Leaf TypeIs the leaf a single blade, or divided into leaflets?
Trifoliate
Trifoliate (three leaflets)
Leaf TypeIs the leaf a single blade, or divided into leaflets?
Trifoliate
Trifoliate (three leaflets)
Flower ColorWhat color are the flowers?
Purple
Yellow
Flower ColorWhat color are the flowers?
Purple
Yellow
Leaf TypeIs the leaf a single blade, or divided into leaflets?
Trifoliate
Trifoliate (three leaflets)
Leaf SurfaceWhat does the leaf surface feel or look like?
Glabrous
Glabrous (smooth, hairless)
Hirsute
Hirsute (coarsely hairy)
Pubescent
Pubescent (softly hairy)
Tomentose (woolly, matted hairs)
Leaf TypeIs the leaf a single blade, or divided into leaflets?
Pinnately compound
Pinnately compound (leaflets in rows along a stalk)
Simple (single blade)
Trifoliate
Trifoliate (three leaflets)
Flower ColorWhat color are the flowers?
Purple
Yellow
Leaf TypeIs the leaf a single blade, or divided into leaflets?
Pinnately compound (leaflets in rows along a stalk)
Simple (single blade)
Leaf TypeIs the leaf a single blade, or divided into leaflets?
Pinnately compound (leaflets in rows along a stalk)
Trifoliate (three leaflets)
Leaf TypeIs the leaf a single blade, or divided into leaflets?
Pinnately compound
Pinnately compound (leaflets in rows along a stalk)
Simple
Simple (single blade)
Trifoliate
Trifoliate (three leaflets)
Flower ColorWhat color are the flowers?
Purple
White
Yellow
Flower ColorWhat color are the flowers?
Purple
Yellow
Leaf TypeIs the leaf a single blade, or divided into leaflets?
Pinnately compound
Pinnately compound (leaflets in rows along a stalk)
Simple
Trifoliate
Trifoliate (three leaflets)
Leaf SurfaceWhat does the leaf surface feel or look like?
Pubescent
Pubescent (softly hairy)
Leaf SurfaceWhat does the leaf surface feel or look like?
Glabrous (smooth, hairless)
Glaucous (waxy blue-grey bloom)
Hirsute (coarsely hairy)
Pubescent (softly hairy)
Flower ColorWhat color are the flowers?
Purple
White
Yellow
Leaf SurfaceWhat does the leaf surface feel or look like?
Glabrous (smooth, hairless)
Pubescent (softly hairy)
Tomentose (woolly, matted hairs)
Flower ColorWhat color are the flowers?
Orange
Pink
Purple
Red
White
Yellow
Leaf TypeIs the leaf a single blade, or divided into leaflets?
Pinnately compound
Trifoliate
Trifoliate (three leaflets)
Leaf SurfaceWhat does the leaf surface feel or look like?
Glabrous (smooth, hairless)
Glaucous (waxy blue-grey bloom)
Pubescent (softly hairy)
Leaf TypeIs the leaf a single blade, or divided into leaflets?
Pinnately compound
Pinnately compound (leaflets in rows along a stalk)
Leaf TypeIs the leaf a single blade, or divided into leaflets?
Trifoliate
Trifoliate (three leaflets)
Leaf TypeIs the leaf a single blade, or divided into leaflets?
Pinnately compound
Pinnately compound (leaflets in rows along a stalk)
Simple (single blade)
Leaf SurfaceWhat does the leaf surface feel or look like?
Glabrous (smooth, hairless)
Glaucous (waxy blue-grey bloom)
Tomentose (woolly, matted hairs)
Leaf TypeIs the leaf a single blade, or divided into leaflets?
Pinnately compound
Pinnately compound (leaflets in rows along a stalk)
Simple
Trifoliate
Leaf SurfaceWhat does the leaf surface feel or look like?
Glabrous (smooth, hairless)
Tomentose (woolly, matted hairs)

How to recognise the Fabaceae family

  • 01

    Compound leaves, often pinnate

  • 02

    Zygomorphic 'butterfly' flowers

  • 03

    Fruit a legume (pod)

Typical leaf characters

Characters typical of the family — individual species can vary.

Typical flower & fruit

Typical of the family — flowering plants only; species can vary.

Notable members

Indian Liquorice, Jeguirity, Bead Vine, Black-Eyed Susan, Buddhist Rosary Bead, Crab's Eye, Indian Liquorice, Rosary Pea, Wild LiquoriceAbrus precatoriusShowy Rosary PeaAbrus pulchellusAmerican Joint Vetch, Shy Leaf, Sola Pith PlantAeschynomene americanaSola Pith Plant, Pith PlantAeschynomene asperaBuddapeaAeschynomene indicaBelgaum Alyce CloverAlysicarpus belgaumensisSweet AlysAlysicarpus bupleurifoliusBracted Alyce CloverAlysicarpus glumaceus

All 318 species in FABACEAE

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