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Aquatic and Wetland Vascular Plants of the Northern Great Plains

Fabaceae - The Bean Family

Perennial herbs and shrubs (those included here) with pinnately compound, alternate, usually stipulate leaves; leaflets 3-many, the terminal one sometimes modified as a tendril (Lathyrus). Inflorescences of densely to loosely flowered, simple or branched racemes. Flowers perfect, irregular, hypogynous to somewhat perigynous; calyx regular to strongly irregular, 5-lobed; corolla of 5 separate lobes (only 1 lobe in Amorpha), these unequal, the upper median lobe termed the standard, exterior to and larger than the others, the 2 lateral petals termed the wings, exterior to the lowest ones which are called the keel petals, the latter partly coherent to enclose the stamens and style; stamens 10, monadelphous or diadelphous in a 9 + 1 arrangement; pistil 1, simple, with a single stigma and style, ovary 1-celled, maturing into a legume (pod) which is dehiscent by 2 sutures or indehiscent, sometimes constricted between the seeds (Desmodium) and ultimately breaking into 1-seeded joints or segments.

Lead	Characteristic	Go To
1	Shrub; corolla 1-lobed, only the standard present.	Genus Amorpha
1	Herbs; corolla 5-lobed.	Lead 2
2	Plants climbing; leaves with a tendril at the tip; fruits smooth.	Genus Lathyrus
2	Plants erect; leaves without tendrils; fruits with hooked hairs or prickles.	Lead 3
3	Leaflets 3; petals reddish-purple, drying dark blue; fruit with hooked hairs, constricted between the seeds.	Genus Desmodium
3	Leaflets 7-21; petals cream or creamy-white; fruit with stout hooked bristles, not constricted between the seeds.	Genus Glycyrrhiza

28. Fabaceae, the Bean Family

1. Amorpha L.

1. Amorpha fruticosa L. -- False indigo

2. Desmodium Desv. -- Tickclover

1. Desmodium canadense (L.) DC. -- Canada tickclover

3. Glycyrrhiza L. -- Licorice

1. Glycyrrhiza lepidota Pursh -- Wild licorice

4. Lathyrus L. -- Vetchling

1. Lathyrus palustris L. -- Marsh vetchling

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