Leguminose

Leguminose, also known as Leguminosae or Fabaceae, is a large and ubiquitous family of flowering plants comprising about 19,000 species in roughly 750 genera. They range from herbaceous plants to shrubs and trees and occupy a wide range of habitats, from grasslands to tropical forests. The family is notable for its symbiotic association with nitrogen-fixing bacteria (Rhizobium) in root nodules, enabling atmospheric nitrogen to be converted into usable forms and improving soil fertility.

Leaves are typically compound, often with stipules. Flowers vary, but many members of the Papilionoideae subfamily have a characteristic butterfly-shaped, or papilionaceous, corolla with a banner, wings, and keel; other subfamilies show differing floral forms. The fruit is a legume, or pod, which splits open along two seams to release seeds.

Taxonomically, Leguminosae is commonly divided into three major subfamilies: Caesalpinioideae, Mimosoideae, and Papilionoideae (also called Faboideae). The group includes economically important crops such as beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas, soybeans, and peanuts, as well as forage plants like alfalfa and clover. It also provides timber, oils, fibers, and ornamentals.

Distribution is cosmopolitan, with greatest diversity in tropical and subtropical regions. The family’s ecological and agricultural importance, particularly its role in natural nitrogen fixation and soil restoration, makes it one of the most influential plant groups in ecosystems and human agriculture.