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Key to Fabaceae, Key G: herbaceous legumes with once-pinnately, even-pinnately compound (or 'palmately' 2-foliolate) leaves with 2 or more leaflets
[subfamilies Faboideae and Caesalpinioideae]

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1 Flowers nearly regular; stamens 5-10, separate; [subfamily Caesalpinioideae, tribe Cassieae].
  2 Leaflets 5-25 pairs, each leaflet 0.5-1.5 cm long; stipules persistent, striate
  2 Leaflets (2-) 3-12 pairs, each leaflet 1.5-12 cm long; stipules caduceus, small, not striate
1 Flowers papilionoid; stamens diadelphous or monadelphous; [subfamily Faboideae].
    3 Tendrils lacking on all leaves; stamens monadelphous or diadelphous.
      4 Leaflets 2 per leaf; [tribe Aeschynomeneae]
      4 Leaflets 4-60 per leaf.
        5 Floating aquatic with stems swollen, inflated
        5 Terrestrial plants with stem not swollen
          6 Leaflets 20-60 per leaf; strong herbs (or woody) 1-4 m tall, simultaneously erect, > 1 m tall, and with stems usually > 5 mm in diameter
             7 Fruit a loment, with single-seeded segments separated by sutures; stamens monadelphous or diadelphous in 2 phalanges of 5; [tribe Aeschynomeneae]
             7 Fruit a legume; stamens diadelphous; [tribe Sesbanieae]
          6 Leaflets 4-18 per leaf; weak or sprawling herbs to 1.5 m long, with weak stems usually < 5 mm in diameter (or if thicker, then < 1 m long; stamens monadelphous or diadelphous.
               8 Leaflets 4 per leaf; stamens monadelphous; [tribe Dalbergieae]
               8 Leaflets 4-16 per leaf; stamens monadelphous, diadelphous (9 and 1, or 5 and 5)
                 9 Stamens monadelphous or diadelphous in 2 phalanges of 5 and 5; [tribe Aeschynomeneae]
                 9 Stamens diadelphous (9 and 1); [tribe Fabeae]
    3 Tendrils present in the terminal position on some or all leaves; stamens diadelphous; [tribe Fabeae].
                   10 Stipules foliaceous, typically larger than the leaflets
                   10 Stipules smaller, typically much smaller than the leaflets.
                     11 Calyx lobes 2-4× as long as the calyx tube; [rare waif]
                     11 Calyx lobes 1-2× as long as the calyx tube; [collectively widespread and common].
                       12 Style stout, flattened or folded, with a dense longitudinal band of hairs longitudinally arrayed along the inner side; stems ridged, angled, or longitudinally winged; leaflets 2-6 (-8) cm long; calyx 5-12 mm long
                       12 Style slender and hair-like, terete (round in ×-section), glabrous except for a ring of short hairs just below the stigma; stems ridged or angled, but not longitudinally winged; leaflets 0.5-4.5 cm long (except larger in a few waifs); calyx 2-8 mm long (except larger in a few waifs)

Key to Fabaceae, Key H: herbaceous legumes with once-pinnately, odd-pinnately compound leaves with 5 or more leaflets
[subfamilies Faboideae and Caesalpinioideae]

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1 Lateral veins of each leaflet neatly straight and parallel to one another; [tribe Millettieae]
1 Lateral veins of each leaflet complicatedly and less regularly arrayed.
  2 Leaves (at least the largest and those with the most leaflets) with ≥ 13 leaflets.
    3 Ovaries (and later fruits) with dense, hooked prickles (looking like a miniature cocklebur, Xanthium); leaves and stems glandular-punctate with brown or black glands; stamens diadelphous (9 and 1); [rare waif in our area]; [tribe Galegeae]
    3 Ovaries (and later fruits) glabrous, glandular, or hairy; leaves and stems glabrous, variously hairy, but not glandular-punctate (except Dalea); stamens 5-10, monadelphous, diadelphous, or separate; [collectively widespread].
      4 Leaflets conspicuously dentate; [tribe Cicereae]
      4 Leaflets entire.
        5 Hairs dolabriform (with 2 branches parallel to the surface and pointing at 180° from each other).
          6 Petals reddish orange and/or with some pink or salmon; [tribe Indigofereae]
          6 Petals pink-purple to violet; [tribe Galegeae]
        5 Hairs basifixed.
             7 Fruit a loment (jointed between each seed and splitting into single-seeded segments).
               8 Loments cylindrical, jointed but not noticeably constricted between the seeds; Inflorescence an umbel of (7-) 10-15 flowers; [tribe Loteae]
               8 Loments flattened, prominently constricted between the seeds; inflorescence a raceme or umbel of 2-8 flowers.
                 9 Corolla primarily white to pink; loments 1-2.5 cm long, not borne on a stipe; [tribe Coronilleae]
                 9 Corolla primarily yellow (sometimes also marked with pink or orange); loments 2-5 cm long, borne on a 1-20 mm long stipe (above the calyx); [tribe Dalbergieae]
             7 Fruit a legume (lacking joints between each seed, though sometimes the pod constricted).
                   10 Inflorescences pedunculate, axillary racemes; leaflets eglandular; fruits dehiscent; [tribe Galegeae]
                   10 Inflorescences terminal racemes, spikes, or heads; leaflets glandular-punctate or not; fruits indehiscent.
                     11 Fruit 1-seeded; leaflets glandular-punctate; [tribe Amorpheae]
                     11 Fruit with several seeds; leaflets eglandular; [tribe Sophoreae]
  2 Leaves (the largest and those with the most leaflets) with < 11 leaflets.
                       12 Fruit a loment (constricted between each seed and splitting into single-seeded segments); petals primarily yellow (sometimes also marked with pink or orange); [of the se. Coastal Plain, from e. GA southwards and westwards]; [tribe Dalbergieae].
                          13 Stems ascending or erect; loment subterete
                          13 Stems prostrate, trailing; loment flattened
                       12 Fruit a legume (lacking constrictions between the seeds); petals variously colored; [collectively widespread].
                            14 Ovaries (and later fruits) with dense, hooked prickles; leaves and stems glandular-punctate with brown or black glands; stamens diadelphous (9 and 1); [rare waif in our area]; [tribe Galegeae]
                            14 Ovaries (and later fruits) glabrous, glandular, or hairy; leaves and stems glabrous, variously hairy, but not glandular-punctate (except Dalea); stamens 5-10, monadelphous, diadelphous, or separate; [collectively widespread].
                              15 Plants with basal rosettes, the basal and cauline leaves a mixture of simple and pinnately compound; [rare waif in our area]; [tribe Loteae]
                              15 Plants with primarily cauline leaves, all pinnately compound; [collectively widespread].
                                16 Plants erect or ascending herbs.
                                  17 Leaves with 5 leaflets, the 2 basal leaflets positioned like stipules at the base of the leaf (the leaf thus sessile); [tribe Loteae]
                                  17 Leaves with 5-9 (or fewer or more and then keyed elsewhere), the lower leaflets positioned above a definite petiole.
                                    18 Hairs dolabriform (with 2 branches parallel to the surface and pointing at 180° from each other; petals reddish orange and/or with some pink or salmon; flowers papilionaceous; stamens 10, diadelphous (9+1); leaflets often > 5 mm wide; legume 3+-seeded; flowers 5-12 mm long, in racemes; [tribe Indigofereae]
                                    18 Hairs basifixed; petals of various colors; flowers not papilionaceous, barely bilaterally symmetrical; stamens 5, monadelphous; leaflets 0.5-5 mm wide; legume 1-seeded; flowers very small, < 5.5 mm long, aggregated into tight spike; [tribe Amorpheae]
                                16 Plants prostrate or twining herbaceous vines.
                                       19 Hairs dolabriform (with 2 branches parallel to the surface and pointing at 180° from each other; petals reddish orange and/or with some pink or salmon; [tribe Indigofereae]
                                       19 Hairs basifixed; petals of various colors; [tribe Phaseoleae].
                                         20 Flower usually solitary, resupinate (twisted at 180° so that the standard is below); standard 3.5-5 cm long
                                         20 Flowers few to many in racemes, normally oriented (with the standard above); standard < 2.5 cm long.
                                           21 Corolla purplish, maroon, brownish, or yellowish green; leaflets 4-9 cm long, on petioles 3-5 mm long; keel coiled
                                           21 Corolla either white with red striations or lavender; leaflets 2-5 cm long, on petioles 1-2 mm long; keel carinate, not coiled