Family: Papilionaceae (The Cow Pea Family)
Lecture of: Sir Muhammad Ajaib
Department of Botany
G C University Lahore
Provided by: Taha Arooj
A Large family with 480 genera and 12000 species cosmopolitan in distribution.
Vegetative Characters:
Habit: Mostly perennial Herbs and Shrubs , trees are also common. Some are climbers (Pisum, Lathyrus)
Root: Taproot branched, Usually with nodules containing bacteria of genus Rhizobium .
Stem: Herbaceous or woody, erect, branched.
Leaves: Rarely Simple Mostly compound, Alternate, stipulate Leaf base is Pulvinate.
Inflorescence: Solitary, Racemose, Paniculate or umbellate, Capitate or Spicate.
Flower: Bracteate, Bisexual, zygomorphic, Pedicillate, pentamarous, heterochlaymadeous, hypogynous.
Calyx: Sepals 5, gamosepalous, Hairy, valvate or imbricate aestivation.
Corolla: Petals 5, Polypetalous, Papillonaceous, with 1 standard (vexillum) petal, 2 wing petals (alae) and 2 keel petals (carinae). Vexillary aestivation.
Androecium: Stamin 10 , Monoadelphous or Diadelphous, Anthers dithecious.
Gynoecium: Monocarpillary, unilocular, one ovule, Marginal placentation, Ovary superior.
Fruit: A legume or Lomentum.
Seed: Non-endospermic , Large.
Common Examples:
Pulses
- Pisum sativum L. (Pea)
- Phaseolus mungo L. (Black gram)
- Phaseolus radiatus L. (Green gram)
- Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (Red gram, pigeon pea, Arhar)
- Glycina max (L.) Merr. (Soya bean)
- Cicer arientium L. (Bengal gram, Chick pea, Channa)
Oil Yielding:
1. Arachis hypogaea L. (Ground nut, mong phalli)
2. Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre. (Sukh chain)
Timber Yielding:
1. Dalbergia latifolia Roxb. (Rosewood, Valayati Tali)
2. Dalbergia sisso Roxb. (Indian rosewood, Shesham,Tali)
Fiber Yielding:
1. Crotolaria juncea L. (Sunn Hemp)
Medicinal
- Clitoria ternatea L. commonly called Supli is used as antidote for snake bite in traditional practice.
- Argyrolobium roseum (Camb.) Jaub and Spach locally called as Makhni booti is used for curing cough, constipation, alcer and asthma.
Others
- Indigofera tinctoria L. dye yielding (the famous of indigo of commerce).
- Abrus precatorius L. commonly called “Rati” its mature seeds used as weights by gold smiths.
- Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taub. Commonly called Dhak or Chachera used as an ornamental plant and also used for making eating plates.
