Hernekasvit – Fabaceae

19,600 spp.

Leaves alternate, compound and with a clear and persistent stipule (that can be modified to a spine). Cylindrical pulvinus at the base of the petiole and each petiolule. Often a gland between leaflets on the main rachis. Flowers with 5 free petals, either arranged as in a typical pea flower (a reflexed "standard" at the top and two "wings" that surround the two bottom petals, "keel"), into a less specialised but still zygomorphic flower (caesalpinioid flower) or a radially symmetric actinomorphic flower that often have conspicuous colourful stamens and are arranged into dense clusters (mimosoid flower).

Cosmopolitan.

Trees, shrubs, lianas, herbs

Once or twice pinnate, sometimes with just one pair of pinnae (which may even be partly fused together), often with numerous small pinnae. Stipules typically conspicuous and large, sometimes (especially in dry climates) modified into spines. Terminal pinna may be present or lacking, and in climbing species is often replaced by a tendril. There is a round swelling (pulvinus) at the base of the petiole and each petiolule. There may be glands (extrafloral nectaries) between leaflets on the main rachis.

Beans and pea, timber species, ornamentals. A dominant family in various kinds of forest and savanna environments.

This family has Pinkka cards in different sub-pinkkas for different growing forms.