Family: Fabaceae

Third Largest Plant Family

400 genera and 10,000 species.
Systematic position
Class: Dicotyledonae
Sub-class: Polypetalae
Series: Calyciflorae
Order: Rosales
Family: Fabaceae
 General features
Mainly herbaceous or shrubby,
roots often harbouring nitrogen fixing bacteria in
nodules
mainly terrestrial.
Compound, pinnate or palmate, stipulate, leaf
bases swollen.
Racemose Inflorescence
Complete, zygomorphic, bisexual and
hypogynous.
Sepals 5, gamosepalous, bilipped, imbricate,
odd sepal always anterior.
Sepals
Petals
 General features
Petals 5, very unequal,
– the outermost and the largest petal- standard or
vexillum or banner or flag
– the lateral pair similar and usually long clawed jointly
forming the wings or claw
– the two innermost ones being the smallest comprising
together the keel or carina,
– polypetalous, papilionaceous
– imbricate aestivation
Dissected flower
 General features
Stamens 10, usually diadelphous, 9 being
united in a bundle and 1 remaining free
Anther 2-celled longitudinally dehiscing.
Carpel 1, ovary stalked, superior, unilocular with
one to several ovules on marginal placentation
along the ventral suture, style I, stigma 1.

Typically legumes, called as Pod.

 Floral Diagram

Floral formula
 Economically important plants
1. Pulses : Rich in proteins; used as
pulses
Cajanus cajan (red gram),
Vigna mungo (black gram),
Vigna radiata (green gram),
Vigna ungiculata (Cowpea)
Dolichos biflorus (horse gram)
Cicer arietinum (chick pea).

2. Vegetables
Tender fruits of Lablab purpureus (field bean)
leaves of Sesbania grandiflora (agathi) are used as
vegetables and greens.
3. Oil plants
Arachis hypogea (ground nut) is used for cooking.
Seeds are edible.
Pungam oil obtained from the seeds of Pongamia
pinnata (pongam) has medicinal value and is used
in the preparation of soap.

4. Timber plants : for making furniture,

cabinet articles and other building
materials

Dalbergia latifolia (rose wood)

Pterocarpus santalinus (red sandal wood)
5. Fibre plants: used for making ropes
– Crotalaria juncea (sunhemp)
– Sesbania aegyptica (sesban)

6. Dye plants : Blue dye is also obtained from the flowers

and seeds of
– Indigofera tinctoria (Avuri) is used in the colouring of printing ink
and paints.
– Clitoria ternatea

7. Ornamental plants
– Butea frondosa (flame of the forest),
– Clitoria ternatea,
– Lathyrus odoratus (sweet pea)
– Lupinus hirsutus
 Variations
Plant tendrillar- Vicia/ Pisum.
Plant: tree- Robinia/ Dalbergia.
Leaves simple-Crotalaria.
Leaves pinnate-Sesbania.
Palmate-Trifolium.
Leaflet modified into tendril-Pisum
Inflorescence panicle- Dalbergia
Inflorescence solitary-Lathyrus
Wings and keel absent-Amorpha
Flower apetalous-Lespedeza
Stamens monadelphous-Crotalaria
 Identifying characters
Leaves compound, stipulate
Flower papilionaceous, diadelphous.
Gynoecium monocarpellary.
Ovary unilocular with marginal
placentation.
Fruit usually a pod or legume
 List of Cultivated crops

• Redgram
• Ground nut
• Bengal gram
• Lucerne
• Soyabean • Stylosanthes
• Black gram • Clitoria
• Green gram • Agathi
• Cowpea • Sunhemp
• Sesbania
• Lab lab
• Horse gram
 CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES

• High protein content: 17 to 40 %(Soybean)

• Carbohydrate: 50%
• Very low fat content of 1 to 2 %
• Rich in lysine, tryptophan and threonine
• Low in sulphur containing amino acids
Methionine, Cystiene
• Presence of root nodules for fixing
atmospheric nitrogen
 Cultivated Vigna species
Crop Scientific Chromos Crop Scientific Chromoso
Name ome No. Name me No.

Redgram Cajanus cajan 22 Ground Arachis 20

nut hypogaea
Bengal Cicer arietinum 16 Stylosant
gram hes
Soya Glycine max 40 Lucerne Medicago sativa
bean
Black Vigna mungo 24 Clitoria
gram
Green Vigna radiata 22 Agathi Sesbania
gram grandiflora
Cowpea Vigna unguiculata 22 Sunhemp
Lab lab Lablab purpureus 22,24 Sesbania
Horse Macroptyloma 24
gram uniflorum
REDGRAM
Chromosome Number : 2n: 22

Common Names

• Arhar
• Toor
• Thuvarai

Duration : 105 to 180 days

Origin : Africa

India : MP, UP, AP, TN, Bihar,

Maharashtra and Gujarat
Two types
Annual and perennial

1. Cajanus cajan var. flavus

• Annual in habit
• Toor Dhal
• Peninsular India

2. Cajanus cajan var.bicolor

• Woody perennial
• Arhar
• North India
 Distinguishing characters

Arhar Tur / Toor

1.Tall growing, bushy 1.Medium tall to dwarf

2.Perennial 2.Annual- 105 to 180 days,

3.Flowering twice a year flowers throughout the year

3.Medium pods, green,

4.Large pods, dark red to purple
glabrous, 3 to 4 seeds,
hairy, 5 to 6 seeds, bold
medium bold seeds
seeds

4.Standard petal lemon yellow

5.Dark purple standard petal color with purple streaks

6.Axillary raceme 5.Terminal or axillary raceme

 REDGRAM

Class : Dicotyledons

Family : Fabaceae

Sub Family : Papilionaceae

Tribe : Phaseolae

Genus : Cajanus

Species : C. cajan
 BOTANY OF RED GRAM

Habitat: Tropical

Habit
• Annual / Perennial shrub
• erect and branching
• Determinate with terminal
flowers
• Indeterminate with axillary
clusters

Root system

• Deep roots – prevent soil

erosion
• Highly branching roots
• Clusters of nodules
Stem : Woody
Leaves : 1.Compound and
trifoliate
2.Central leaflet longer
3. Stipules small
4. Hairy with Grey under
surface
5. Prominent yellow
glands
INFLORESCENCE

Raceme
• Axillary / terminal with long peduncle
• Flowers : bracteate, bracteolate
Papilionaceous flower
INFLORESCENCE

•Calyx :5
•Corolla : 5 petals
standard
wing
keel petals
 INFLORESCENCE

Androecium

10 stamens (9+1) –
diadelphous

Gynoecium

• superior ovary
• unilocular
• capitate stigma
FRUIT

• Pod
• Variable in shape, size, constriction, texture
and pubescence
Seed color
• Cream to black with different shades of
yellow, red, brown
• Dark red color with white hilum is very
common
Methods to make split pulse
Before milling
1. Wet method
• Soak for 6 - 10 hours
• Smear with red earth
• Sun dried and milled
• Dhal recovery is 80 %
2. Dry method
After milling
• Seeds dried in sun and

milled
• Dhal recovery is 66%
BENGAL GRAM
 BENGAL GRAM (2n: 16)

Family: Fabaceae
Tribe : Phaseolae
Genus: Cicer
Species: arietinum

Origin : South west Asia

Oldest pulse crop of Europe and Asia
Two cultivated types

1.Desi
 small plants with dark green leaves,
 dwarf with purple flowers
 Brown coloured, wrinkled, small seeds
2. Kabuli
 Tall plants with pale green leaves
 White flowers
 Seeds larger, smooth and white
Habitat: Sub Tropical and temperate

Habit: Herbaceous Annual

erect with spreading branches

glandular hairs seen throughout

Root system : Tap root

Stem : grey, slightly ribbed and green

Leaves: Imparipinnate leaves

leaflets ovate and 15 in number

Hairy and serrated

 INFLORESCENCE

• Solitary /Axillary with jointed pedicels

• Flowers : small and white to blue in color
•Androecium : 10 stamens (9+1)- diadelphous
•Gynoecium: superior ovary, unilocular,

ovules on marginal placentation

style beardless with terminal stigma.

 FRUIT

• Pods inflated

• One or two seeded

• Angular with prominent beak and small hilum

• White, tan red to black color

• Seed coat may be smooth or wrinkled

• Cotyledons are thick and yellowish

 Nutritive value

Rich in malic acid and oxalic acid

Protein content - 17.1 %

Carbohydrate – 61.2 %

Fibre – 4.8 %

Fat – 5.3 %
 Economic importance
Seeds are eaten raw, roasted, boiled and eaten

Popped grain - ‘Pottu kadalai’

Broken seed as dhall - ‘Kadalai paruppu’

Tender leaves are used as leafy vegetables

Flour – with ghee and sugar is an important

Indian confectionery(sweets and
chocolates)

Dry stem and leaves – fodder

An acid juice

94% malic acid and 6% oxalic acid

- medicine for intestinal disorders

 BLACKGRAM (2n: 24)

Family: Fabaceae
Tribe : Phaseolae
Genus: Vigna
Species: mungo
Origin : India
 BLACKGRAM (2n: 24)

Distribution
MP, UP, AP, TN, Punjab,
West Bengal,
Karnataka,
Maharashtra
Gujarat
Urad, also referred to as
• urad dal,
• udad dal,
• urd bean,
• urd,
• urid,
• black matpe bean,
• black gram,
or white lentil (Vigna mungo)
• It is a bean grown in southern Asia.
• It is largely used to make dhal from the whole or split,
dehusked seeds.
Habitat: Tropical

Habit: Annual –erect, semi erect and spreading

Root system : Tap root

Stem : Erect / twiny, slightly ridged – brown hairs

Leaves: trifoliate, alternate

leaflets ovate

Stipules narrow

Hairy on both surface

INFLORESCENCE
•Axillary raceme with long peduncle
•bracteate, bracteolate, bisexual
•Flowers : in clusters of 5-6, small and yellow
5 petals, keel petals-spirally coiled
•Androecium : 10 stamens (9+1)- diadelphous
•Gynoecium: superior ovary, unilocular,
ovules on marginal placentation
style hairy
 FRUIT

• Pod

• Hairy

• 6-8 cm long with 4-10

seeds

• dark brown to black

color
 Nutritive value

• Rich in Vitamin B, Calcium and Phosphorus

• Protein content is 23.4 %

• Carbohydrate – 57.3 %

• Fibre – 4.8 %

• Fat – 1.0 %
Economic importance

• Green pods and seeds – vegetable

• Dried seeds – idli, dosai, vada etc

• Flour – in bakery for bread and biscuit

• Broken seed, seed coat – Cattle feed

• Dried and Green plants – fodder

 GREENGRAM (2n: 22)

Family: Fabaceae
Tribe : Phaseolae
Genus: Vigna
Species: radiata
Origin : India

Distribution:

MP, UP, AP, TN, Punjab, West bengal,

Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat

Common Names
• Sirupayaru
• Passipayaru
• Mung
 Wild types of mung bean
– var. sublobata
India, Sri Lanka, South-East Asia, northern Australia
(Queensland), tropical Africa from Ghana to East Africa,
southern Africa and Madagascar

– var. setulosa
large, orbicular stipules and dense long hairs on the stem,

India, China, Japan and Indonesia.

 Cultivated types of mung bean
Vigna radiata var. radiata,
Two types of mung bean - based on seed colour

– golden gram, with yellow seeds, low seed yield and

pods shattering at maturity; often grown for forage(food
for horses or cattle) or green manure;

– green gram, with bright green seeds, more

prolific(more seed,much offspring), ripening more
uniformly, less tendency for pods to shatter.
Habitat: Tropical

Habit: Annual – erect, semi erect and twining in the

upper branches

Root system : Tap root

Stem : Erect / twiny, green in color

Leaves: trifoliate, long petioles

leaflets entire

Stipules minute with

basal appendages
INFLORESCENCE

•Axillary raceme with long peduncle

•Flowers : in clusters of 10 to 20,
small and light yellow
•Androecium : 10 stamens (9+1)- diadelphous
•Gynoecium: superior ovary, unilocular,
ovules on marginal placentation
long bearded style
FRUIT

• Pod

• 10 cm long with 10-12 seeds

• brown in color with green seeds

• Cotyledon is yellow with white hilum

 Nutritive value

Rich in Vitamin B, Calcium and Phosphorus

Protein content is 23.5 %

Carbohydrate – 58.2 %

Fibre – 4.0 %

Fat – 1.2 %

High digestibility

Mostly used as sprouts (shoot of plant)

Economic importance

Green pods and seeds – vegetable

Used as a supplement with cereals

Flour – in bakery

Broken seed, seed coat and Bhusa-fodder

Dried and Green plants – fodder

 Distinguishing characters
BLACK GRAM GREEN GRAM
Purple coloured stem Green coloured stem
Dark green leaves Pale green leaves
Densely hairy Sparsely hairy
Short pods, with erect Long radiating pods with
long hairs small hairs
Less shattering Highly shattering
Large oblong seeds with Small round seeds
square ends Green seed coat
Black seed coat Cream to yellow cotyledon
White cotyledon; pasty not pasty; broken to bits
Concave hilum Flat hilum