Fabaceae - Pea and bean family

Trees, shrubs, climbers or, most often, herbs. Leaves alternate, most often pinnate or pinnately 3-foliolate, less often digitately 3-foliolate, occasionally 1-foliolate, simple or digitate; pulvinus always present at the base of each leaflet, and usually present at base of petiole. Inflorescences of racemes or panicles, less often umbellate, capitate or spicate. Fls zygomorphic, papilionaceous, with a large, often erect, adaxial petal (standard), two lateral petals (wings) parallel with each other, and two lower petals, which are often connate by their lower margins to form a keel. Sepals united at base. Petals imbricate in bud. Stamens usually 10, rarely fewer, either all fused (monadelphous) or 1 free and 9 fused (diadelphous) or rarely all free. Pods various. Seeds without areoles.

Worldwide: 313 genera and 8,100 species, cosmopolitan

Britain: 50 genera and 373 taxa.