Leguminosae / Fabaceae sensu lato

I. Originally demarked by:

     A. Single carpel
     B. Usually coumpound leaves (some simple)
     C. Legume

II. Now most taxonomist recognize 3 families on basis of floral
morphology

Family/Subfamily sensu lato Comparison

I. Mimosaceae/Mimosoideae (Mimosa Family)

     40 Genera
     2,000 species (1 on campus)

     A. Actinomorphic
     B. 4-10 stamens much larger than petals
     C. Valvate, fused petals

II. Caesalpiniaceae/Caesalpiniodeae (Caesalpina Family)

     150 Genera
     2,200 species (3 on campus)

     A. Zygomorphic
     B. 10 seperate stamens same length or shorter than petals
     C. Imbricate petals, upper inside lateral, 2 lower seperate

III. Fabaceae sensu stricto/Papilionoideae (Bean or Pea Family)

     440 Genera
     11,300 species

     A. Zygomorphic
     B. 10 stamens same length or shorter than petals
          1. seperate
          2. Monodelphous = anthers all fused
          3. Diadelphous = 9 fused + 1 seperate
     C. Imbricate petals, upper outside lateral, 2 lower fused

IV. Economic Importance

     A. Second only to Poaceae (Gramineae) for food & forage
     B. Tropical lumber for cabinets
          1. Dalbergia nigra (Rosewood) Brazil
          2. Microberlininia brazzavillanensis (Zebrawood)
                W. Africa
          3. Peltogyne porphyrocardia (Purpleheart)
               C. & S. America
          4. Pterocarpus dalbergioides (Padouk, Andaman)
               Andaman Islands
          5. Guibortia demeusei (Bubinga) W. Africa
     C. Tannins, gums, resins, dyes, drugs
     D. Fuel wood
     E. Symbiosis within roots and nitrogen fixing bacteria

V.  Range

     A. World wide with concentration of tree species in tropics

Mimosaceae

I. Albizia julibrissin (Silktree, Mimosa)
     [Italian naturlist-G; native Iranian name-se]

     A. Even bipinnately compound leaves with asymmetric
           leaflet lamina
     B. 13-20 cm flat legume

Caesalpiniaceae

I. Cercis canadensis (Eastern redbud, Judas Tree) Silvics
     [Grk name-G; from Canada-se]

     A. Orbicular/reniform, simple glabrous leaves
           with cordate base
     B. 6-8 cm flat legume exhibiting cauliflory
     C. Smooth dark gray/black bark

II. Gleditsia triacanthos (Honeylocust) (OT, Silvics)
     [Gleditsch-botanist-G; three-horned-se]

     A. Even pinnate/bipinnate compound leaves
          with acute/rounded apices
     B. 15-45 cm reddish-brown/purplish-brown twisted strap-like
           legume (taste like honey+castor oil when green)
     C. Long narrow scaley ridge grayish brown/ black bark
     D. Usually twigs & trunk have branched thorns

III. Gymnocladus dioicus (Kentucky coffeetree)
     [Grk = "naked branch"-G; dioecious-se]

     A. 30-80 cm odd bipinately compound leaves
          with acute apices
     B. 10-18 cm dark reddish-brown thick legume
          with big seeds resembling coffeebeans
     C. Narrow scaley ridge with deep furrows, gray bark
     D. Salmon/brown pith

Fabaceae

I. Robinia pseudoacacia (Black locust) (OT, Silvics)
     [Jean & Vespasien Robin, herbalist to 16-17 century French
          king-G; False acacia-se]

     A. 15-35 cm odd pinnately compound leaves,
          with mucronate or notched apices
          usually with two spinose stipules
     B. 5-10 cm flat brown legume
     C. Deeply furrowed with rounded interlacing fibrous scaly
          ridges, reddish-brown / black bark (inner bark poisonous)

II. Cladrastis kentukea (C. lutea) (Yellowwood)
     [Grk = "brittle branch-G; from Kentucky-se]

     A. 20-30 cm alternate pinnate compound leaves
          with petiole that completely encloses axillary
          buds
     B. 3-8 cm flat legume
     C. Smooth gray bark

III. Sophora japonica (Japanese pagoda, Chinese scholar tree)
     [Arabian name for tree with pea shaped flowers]

     A. Pinnately compound leaf with mucronate apices
          and odd oder
     B. Branches remain green up to 5 years
     C. Green bead or chain like legumeArtificial Group Floriferae Sympetalae  Subclass Dilleniidae

Ebenaceae (Ebony Family)

     5 Genera
     485 species (1 on campus)

I. Leaves
     A. Alternate
     B. Simple
     C. Entire

II. Flowers
     A. Regular
     B. Imperfect, dioecious

III. Fruit
     A. Berry

IV. Economic Importance
     A. Black/Brownish Black Ebony lumber from
          Celebes Islands, Ceylon, India used
          to make fine musical instruments
     B. Diospyros virginiana wood stays smooth
          under friction, used to make shuttles,
          spools, bobbins, and golf club heads
     C. D. virginiana produces an edible berry

V. Range
     A. Tropics and warmer temperate regions of
          N. & S. hemispheres

Diospyros virginiana (Common Persimmon) Silvics
     [Devine Fruit; grain of Jove(grk)]

     A. Dark brown/black bark subdivided into thick
          trapezoidal blocks

Ornamentals within Artificial Group Floriferae Sympetalae
                              Subclass Asteridae

Scrophulariaceae (Figwort Family)
 
     220 Genera
     4000 species (only 1 tree species in USA)

I. Paulownia tomentosa (Princess Tree, Empress Tree) Sylvics
     A. Opposite
     B. Large pubescent cordate leaves
     C. No terminal buds
     D. Hollow pith
     E. Ovoid, pointed, 2-valved capsule
          with small winged seeds
     D. Wood resistant to splitting upon drying
          good for woodcarving

Bignoniaceae (Trumpet-creeper Family)

     112 Genera
     750 species (1 on campus)

I. Catalpa speciosa (Northern; Western Catalpa) (OT,)
     [Cherokee name(G)  showy(se)]

     A. Whorls of 3
     B. Large pubescent cordate leaves
     C. No terminal buds
     D. Solid homogenous pith
     E. Long, pendant, slender, terete capsule
          with many flat 2 winged seeds
     F. Wood resistant to decay
          good for fence posts
     G. Caterpillars for fish bait

II. Cybistax donnell-smithii (Prima vera; white mahogany)

     A. Mexico & C. America
     B. True mahogany lumber comes from species of Swietenia
          in the Meliaceae (Mahogany Family)