Fabaceae

(fab-AY-see-ee)
– a family in the Fabales order –

Here in the St. Louis Area, we have 79 not-too-obscure plants that are in the Bean Family. They can be sorted into 3 distinctive subfamilies:

Caesalpinioideae (Senna Subfamily) SESS-ell-pin-ee-OY-dee

  • Cercis canadensis  (Redbud) [CC3]
  • Chamaecrista fasciculata  (Showy Partridge Pea) [CC2]
  • Chamaecrista nictitans  (Small Partridge Pea) [CC2]
  • Gleditsia triacanthos  (Honey Locust) [CC2]
  • Gymnocladus dioica  (Kentucky Coffeetree) [CC6]
  • Senna marilandica  (Maryland Senna) [CC4]

Mimosoideae (Mimosa Subfamily) mim-o-SOY-dee

  • Desmanthus illinoensis  (Illinois Bundleflower) [CC3]
  • Mimosa quadrivalvis  (Fourvalve Mimosa) [CC6]

Faboideae or Papilionoideae (Pea Subfamily) fab-OY-dee
This subfamily is very large. Its 71 St. Louis species can be sorted into 14 tribes:

  • Amorpha canescens (Leadplant) Amorpheae tribe [CC8]
  • Amorpha fruticosa (False Indigo) Amorpheae tribe [CC6]
  • Amphicarpaea bracteata (Hog Peanut) Phaseoleae tribe [CC4]
  • Apios americana (Groundnut) Phaseoleae tribe [CC6]
  • Astragalus canadensis (Canadian Milkvetch) Galegeae tribe [CC6]
  • Astragalus crassicarpus (Ozark Milkvetch) Galegeae tribe [CC7]
  • Baptisia alba (White Wild Indigo) Sophoreae tribe [CC6]
  • Baptisia australis (Blue Wild Indigo) Sophoreae tribe [CC8]
  • Baptisia bracteata (Cream Wild Indigo) Sophoreae tribe [CC7]
  • Crotalaria sagittalis (Rattlebox) Crotalarieae tribe [CC5]
  • Dalea candida (White Prairie Clover) Amorpheae tribe [CC8]
  • Dalea leporina (Foxtail Prairie Clover) Amorpheae tribe [CC7]
  • Dalea purpurea (Purple Prairie Clover) Amorpheae tribe [CC8]
  • Desmodium canadense (Showy Ticktrefoil) Desmodieae tribe [CC4]
  • Desmodium canescens (Hoary Ticktrefoil) Desmodieae tribe [CC5]
  • Desmodium ciliare (Hairy Small-Leaf Ticktrefoil) Desmodieae tribe [CC5]
  • Desmodium cuspidatum (Largebract Ticktrefoil) Desmodieae tribe [CC5]
  • Desmodium glabellum (Smooth Ticktrefoil) Desmodieae tribe [CC3]
  • Desmodium illinoense (Illinois Ticktrefoil) Desmodieae tribe [CC6]
  • Desmodium marilandicum (Smooth Small-Leaf Ticktrefoil) Desmodieae tribe [CC5]
  • Desmodium obtusum (Stiff Ticktrefoil) Desmodieae tribe [CC6]
  • Desmodium paniculatum (Panicled Ticktrefoil) Desmodieae tribe [CC3]
  • Desmodium perplexum (Perplexing Ticktrefoil) Desmodieae tribe [CC3]
  • Desmodium rotundifolium (Roundleaf Ticktrefoil) Desmodieae tribe [CC6]
  • Desmodium sessilifolium (Sessileleaf Ticktrefoil) Desmodieae tribe [CC5]
  • Galactia regularis (Downy Milkpea) Diocleae tribe [CC6]
  • Hylodesmum glutinosum (Pointedleaf Ticktrefoil) Desmodieae tribe [CC3]
  • Hylodesmum nudiflorum (Nakedflower Ticktrefoil) Desmodieae tribe [CC4]
  • Hylodesmum pauciflorum (Fewflower Ticktrefoil) Desmodieae tribe [CC8]
  • Kummerowia stipulacea (Korean Clover) Desmodieae tribe [intro]
  • Kummerowia striata (Japanese Clover) Desmodieae tribe [intro]
  • Lathyrus latifolius (Everlasting Pea) Fabeae tribe [intro]
  • Lathyrus palustris (Marsh Pea) Fabeae tribe [CC10]
  • Lespedeza capitata (Roundhead Lespedeza) Desmodieae tribe [CC6]
  • Lespedeza cuneata (Silky Lespedeza) Desmodieae tribe [intro]
  • Lespedeza frutescens (Shrubby Lespedeza) Desmodieae tribe [CC5]
  • Lespedeza hirta (Hairy Lespedeza) Desmodieae tribe [CC7]
  • Lespedeza procumbens (Trailing Lespedeza) Desmodieae tribe [CC4]
  • Lespedeza repens (Creeping Lespedeza) Desmodieae tribe [CC4]
  • Lespedeza stuevei (Tall Lespedeza) Desmodieae tribe [CC7]
  • Lespedeza violacea (Violet Lespedeza) Desmodieae tribe [CC6]
  • Lespedeza virginica (Slender Lespedeza) Desmodieae tribe [CC5]
  • Lotus corniculatus (Birdsfoot Trefoil) Loteae tribe [intro]
  • Medicago lupulina (Black Medic) Trifolieae tribe [intro]
  • Medicago sativa (Alfalfa) Trifolieae tribe [intro]
  • Melilotus albus (White Sweetclover) Trifolieae tribe [intro]
  • Melilotus officinalis (Yellow Sweetclover) Trifolieae tribe [intro]
  • Orbexilum onobrychis (French Grass) Psoraleeae tribe [CC7]
  • Orbexilum pedunculatum (Sampson’s Snakeroot) Psoraleeae tribe [CC6]
  • Pediomelum esculentum (Prairie Turnip) Psoraleeae tribe [CC10]
  • Pediomelum tenuiflorum (Slimflower Scurfpea) Psoraleeae tribe [CC8]
  • Phaseolus polystachios (Thicket Bean) Phaseoleae tribe [CC7]
  • Pueraria montana (Kudzu) Phaseoleae tribe [intro]
  • Robinia pseudoacacia (Black Locust) Robinieae tribe [CC6]
  • Securigera varia (Crownvetch) Loteae tribe [intro]
  • Strophostyles helvola (Trailing Fuzzybean) Phaseoleae tribe [CC2]
  • Strophostyles leiosperma (Slickseed Fuzzybean) Phaseoleae tribe [CC2]
  • Strophostyles umbellata (Pink Fuzzybean) Phaseoleae tribe [CC3]
  • Stylosanthes biflora (Pencil Flower) Dalbergieae tribe [CC5]
  • Tephrosia virginiana (Goat’s Rue) Millettieae tribe [CC5]
  • Trifolium arvense (Rabbitfoot Clover) Trifolieae tribe [intro]
  • Trifolium campestre (Low Hop Clover) Trifolieae tribe [intro]
  • Trifolium dubium (Suckling Clover) Trifolieae tribe [intro]
  • Trifolium hybridum (Alsike Clover) Trifolieae tribe [intro]
  • Trifolium incarnatum (Crimson Clover) Trifolieae tribe [intro]
  • Trifolium pratense (Red Clover) Trifolieae tribe [intro]
  • Trifolium reflexum (Buffalo Clover) Trifolieae tribe [CC8]
  • Trifolium repens (White Clover) Trifolieae tribe [intro]
  • Trifolium stoloniferum (Running Buffalo Clover) Trifolieae tribe [CC10]
  • Vicia sativa (Garden Vetch) Fabeae tribe [intro]
  • Vicia villosa (Hairy Vetch) Fabeae tribe [intro]

[CC] = Coefficient of Conservatism