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The pea family - leguminosae - has about 12000 species of plants growing mainly in the temperate regions. The most common species are herbs, but some of them are shrubs and trees, too.

Leaves ( 1 ) : composite, seldom single, with very conspicuous stipules. (2) in many cases ending in tendrils or filaments (3). Sometimes leaves are reduced to spines.

Flowers :
In racemes.
Calyx ( 4 ) : 5 joined sepals .
Corolla : 5 petals. One at the top, called standard (5); two sided ones, called wings (6) and two joined ones below which form the keel (7)

Stamens : 10 usually joined into a tube.
Style: 1
Ovary : superior
 
Fruit: Pod (8) dehiscent into two valves.  


GENERA

They are about 450 genera. The most important ones are the following:

ACACIA
ADENOCARPUS
ANAGYRIS
ANTHYLLIS
ASTRAGALUS
CALITOME
CERATONIA
CERCIS
CHAMAECYTISUS
CHAMAESPARTIUM
CICER
COLUTEA
CORONILLA
DORYCNIUM
ERINACEA
GALEGA
GENISTA
GLYCYRRHIZA
HIPPOCREPIS
LATHYRUS
LOTONONIS
LOTUS
LUPINUS
MEDICAGO
MELILOTUS
ONOBRYCHIS
ONONIS
OXYTROPIS
PHASEOLUS
PSORALEA
ROBINIA
ROBINIA
SCORPIURUS SAROTHAMNUS
SPARTIUM
TELINE
TETRAGONOLOBUS
TRIFOLIUM
TRIGONELLA
TRIGONELLA
ULEX
VICIA

(Vicia faba )

(Vicia cracca subsp. incana)

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