Fabeae

Fabeae is a tribe of flowering plants in the legume family Fabaceae, within the subfamily Faboideae. It includes several genera of herbaceous plants that are important as legumes for food and forage. The core genera are Pisum (peas), Vicia (vetches), Lens (lentils), and Lathyrus (sweet peas and vetchlings). A smaller genus, Vavilovia, is recognized in some classifications, and the status of other groupings can vary among taxonomic treatments.

Plants in the Fabeae typically are herbaceous and may be annual or perennial. They often have pinnate leaves with stipules, and flowers are zygomorphic and papilionaceous, usually borne in inflorescences such as racemes. The fruit is a legume (pod) containing one or more seeds, which are dispersed when the pod matures.

Ecology and cultivation are closely tied to their nitrogen-fixing ability. Members form symbiotic relationships with Rhizobium bacteria in root nodules, fixing atmospheric nitrogen and contributing to soil fertility. Many species are cultivated for human or animal consumption, including peas, lentils, and other pulses, and they are also used as forage crops in various agricultural systems.

Distribution and evolution: Fabeae is primarily native to Europe and Asia, with some species extending into Africa and other regions through natural range expansion or human cultivation. Molecular studies support the monophyly of the tribe within the Faboideae, and its genera show diversification shaped by climatic and geological history.