Fabaceae – Commonly known as the Pea, Bean or Legume Family
One of the largest families in the world, large enough to have subfamilies and tribes
This family has irregular flowers with the shape famously described as “banner – wings – keel”
The seed pods have the classic green bean, pea pod form.
Leaves are often pinnately divided
This family is often high in phyto-estrogens
Many species are edible or medicinal although some are toxic
Herbs:
Red clover (Trifolium pratense)
Astragalus, known as Huang Chi in TCM
Licorice – Glycyrrhiza glabra is common in Western Herbalism, G. uralensis is used in TCM and our local wild species is G. lepidota
Wild Indigo (Baptisia)
Food:
Mesquite (Prosopsis spp.)
Peas
Beans
Peanuts
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)