The Fabaceae are herbs, vines , shrubs , trees , and lianas
found in both temperate and tropical areas. They comprise one of
the largest families of flowering plants , numbering 630 genera
and 18,000 species. The leaves are stipulate , nearly always
alternate, and range from bipinnately or palmately compound to
simple . The petiole base is commonly enlarged into a pulvinus
that commonly functions in orientation of the leaves (sometimes
very responsively, as in the sensitive plant, Mimosa pudica).
The flowers are usually bisexual , actinomorphic to zygomorphic,
slightly to strongly perigynous, and commonly in racemes ,
spikes, or heads . The perianth commonly consists of a calyx and
corolla of 5 segments each. The androecium consists of commonly
1- many stamens (most commonly 10), distinct or variously united
, sometimes some of them reduced to staminodes. The pistil is
simple, often stipitate , comprising a single style and stigma,
and a superior ovary with one locule containing 2-many marginal
ovules. The fr