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Family:
Fabaceae or Leguminosae (bean and acacia family) Life
> eukaryotes >
Archaeoplastida >
Chloroplastida
>
Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants)
> Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants)
> Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering
plants) > Eudicotyledons > Core Eudicots > Rosids >
Eurosid I > Fabales
A large and important family of about 730 genera and
19400 species worldwide, including economically important crop species such as Groundnut,
Chickpea, Soybean,
Lentil, Lucerne,
beans and Garden Pea. The family
also includes numerous important tree and garden plant species. A total of 124
genera and 1602 species are native to southern Africa, 24 genera and 110 species
are naturalised and a further 92 genera and 420 species are cultivated in the
region.
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Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae
About 160 genera and 1930 species (worldwide), with 25 genera and 62 species
native to southern Africa, a further two genera and 18 species naturalised,
and a further 16 genera and 71 species cultivated in the region. |
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Subfamily: Mimosoideae
Eighty-two genera and 3275 species (cosmopolitan but absent
from north temperate regions), of which 13 genera and 96 species are native to
southern Africa, an additional five genera and 29 species are naturalised, and
an additional 11 genera and 96 species are cultivated in the region. |
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Subfamily: Papilionoideae
About 476 genera and 13855 species, distributed worldwide, with 86 genera
and 1444 species native to southern Africa, 17 genera and 63 species
naturalised, and a further 65 genera and 253 species cultivated in the
region. |
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For species cultivated for food, see
Legumes. |
