2024 Edition • Get the App
X

Colors

Data mode

Account

Login
Sign up

Click the number at the start of a key lead to highlight both that lead and its corresponding lead. Click again to show only the two highlighted leads. Click a third time to return to the full key with the selected leads still highlighted.

Key to Fabaceae, Key I: herbaceous legumes with all leaves unifoliolate or leaflets absent [subfamily Faboideae]

Copy permalink to share | Check for keys that lead to this key

1 Tendrils present on plant; leaves modified into tendrils (leaflike structures present clearly interpretable as stipules); [tribe Fabeae].
  2 Legume 4-7 mm wide; corolla 10-13 mm long
  2 Legume 12-20 mm wide; corolla 18-25 mm long
1 Tendrils absent; leaves or stipules present on plant and interpretable as leaves with 1 leaflet.
    3 Leaflet blades roundish, 0.6-1.5× as long as wide.
      4 Leaves with a well-developed petiole, > 0.5 cm long.
        5 Leaflet margins dentate; corollas white to pink; [tribe Psoraleeae]
        5 Leaflet margins entire; corollas yellow; [tribe Phaseoleae]
      4 Leaves sessile, subsessile, or perfoliate.
          6 Corolla bright or creamy yellow; stamens separate; leaves all 1-foliolate; leaflet blades perfoliate or sessile; [tribe Thermopsideae]
          6 Corolla violet to blue (drying pale); stamens diadelphous; leaves 1-foliolate and with some leaves 3-foliolate or 2-foliolate; leaflet blades cuneate, subsessile; [tribe Psoraleeae]
    3 Leaflet blades elongate, 1.5-15× as long as wide.
             7 Leaves basally disposed.
               8 Leaflet blades elliptic, widest near the midpoint of the blade; flowers pink, rose, or purplish; legume straight; [native of the Coastal Plain, se. NC south to s. FL, west to e. LA]; [tribe Genisteae]
               8 Leaflet blades oblanceolate, widest well past the midpoint of the blade; flowers yellow; legume coiled; [rare waif]; [tribe Loteae]
             7 Leaves all or primarily cauline.
                 9 Leaves long-petioled, the petiole > 2 cm long.
                   10 Petiole winged its entire length; leaflet blade 2-4× as long as wide, sagittate at the base; foliage not glandular; [tribe Phaseoleae]
                   10 Petiole not winged; leaflet blade 8-15× as long as wide, cuneate at the base; foliage glandular-punctate; [tribe Psoraleeae]
                 9 Leaves sessile, subsessile, or short-petiolate, the petiole < 1.5 cm long.
                     11 Stamens monadelphous; corolla yellow, 8-30 mm long; [tribe Crotalarieae]
                     11 Stamens diadelphous; corolla purple, lavender, or cream, 5-15 mm long.
                       12 Corolla 11-15 mm long, purple; [se. and s. TX]; [tribe Diocleae]
                       12 Corolla 5-7 mm long, lavender or cream; [widespread in our area]
                          13 Flowers solitary in leaf axils; [tribe Loteae]
                          13 Flowers in racemose inflorescences; [tribe Desmodieae]
Cite as...