Editing Fabaceae (section)

== Economic and cultural importance ==

Legumes are economically and culturally important plants due to their extraordinary diversity and abundance, the wide variety of edible vegetables they represent and due to the variety of uses they can be put to: in horticulture and agriculture, as a food, for the compounds they contain that have medicinal uses and for the oil and fats they contain that have a variety of uses.<ref name="Allen">Allen, O. N., & E. K. Allen. 1981. The Leguminosae, A Source Book of Characteristics, Uses, and Nodulation. The University of Wisconsin Press, Madison, USA.</ref><ref name="Duke">Duke, J. A. 1992. Handbook of Legumes of Economic Importance. Plenum Press, New York, USA.</ref><ref name="Graham">{{cite journal |last1=Graham |first1=P. H. |last2=Vance |first2=C. P. |year=2003 |title=Legumes: importance and constraints to greater use |journal=Plant Physiology |volume=131 |issue=3 |pages=872–877 |doi=10.1104/pp.017004 |pmc=1540286 |pmid=12644639}}</ref><ref name="Wojciechowski06b">Wojciechowski, M.F. 2006. [http://tolweb.org/notes/?note_id=3968 Agriculturally & Economically Important Legumes.]. Accessed 15 November 2008.</ref>

=== Food and forage ===
The [[bean#History|history of legumes]] is tied in closely with that of human civilization, appearing early in [[Asia]], the [[Americas]] (the [[common bean]], several varieties) and [[Europe]] (broad beans) by 6,000 [[Anno Domini|BCE]], where they became a staple, essential as a source of protein.

Their ability to [[nitrogen fixation|fix atmospheric nitrogen]] reduces [[fertilizer]] costs for farmers and gardeners who grow legumes, and means that legumes can be used in a [[crop rotation]] to replenish soil that has been depleted of [[nitrogen]]. Legume seeds and foliage have a comparatively higher [[protein]] content than non-legume materials, due to the additional nitrogen that legumes receive through the process. Legumes are commonly used as natural fertilizers. Some legume species perform [[hydraulic redistribution|hydraulic lift]], which makes them ideal for [[intercropping]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Sprent |first=Janet I. |url=http://www.sprentland.com/index.php?pr=Janet |title=Legume Nodulation: A Global Perspective |year=2009 |publisher=Wiley-Blackwell |location=Ames, Iowa |isbn=978-1-4051-8175-4 |page=12 }} Preview available at [https://books.google.com/books?id=c-DeQ_wQr3MC&dq=legume+hydraulic+lift&pg=PR4 Google Books].</ref>

Farmed legumes can belong to numerous classes, including [[Fodder|forage]], [[cereal|grain]], blooms, pharmaceutical/industrial, fallow/green manure and timber species, with most commercially farmed species filling two or more roles simultaneously.

There are of two broad types of forage legumes. Some, like [[alfalfa]], [[clover]], [[vetch]], and ''[[Arachis]]'', are sown in [[pasture]] and grazed by livestock. Other forage legumes such as ''[[Leucaena]]'' or ''[[Albizia]]'' are woody shrub or tree species that are either broken down by livestock or regularly cut by humans to provide [[fodder]].

Grain legumes are cultivated for their [[seed]]s, and are also called [[pulse (legume)|pulses]]. The seeds are used for human and animal consumption or for the production of [[Vegetable fats and oils|oils]] for industrial uses. Grain legumes include both herbaceous plants like [[bean]]s, [[lentil]]s, [[lupin]]s, [[pea]]s and [[peanut]]s,<ref>The gene bank and breeding of grain legumes (lupine, vetch, soya and beah) / B.S. Kurlovich and S.I. Repyev (Eds.), - St. Petersburg, The N.I. Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry, 1995, 438p. - (Theoretical basis of plant breeding. V.111)</ref> and trees such as [[carob]], [[mesquite]] and [[tamarind]].

''[[Lathyrus tuberosus]]'', once extensively cultivated in Europe, forms tubers used for human consumption.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Hossaert-Palauqui |first1=M. |last2=Delbos |first2=M. |date=1983 |title=Lathyrus tuberosus L. Biologie et perspectives d'amélioration |journal=Journal d'Agriculture Traditionnelle et de Botanique Appliquée |volume=30 |issue=1 |pages=49–58 |doi=10.3406/jatba.1983.3887 |issn=0183-5173 |url=https://hal.science/hal-04454449 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.luontoportti.com/suomi/en/kukkakasvit/tuberous-pea |title=Tuberous Pea, Lathyrus tuberosus - Flowers - NatureGate |website=www.luontoportti.com |access-date=2019-07-28}}</ref>

Bloom legume species include species such as [[lupin]], which are farmed commercially for their blooms, and thus are popular in gardens worldwide. ''[[Laburnum]]'', ''[[Robinia]]'', ''[[Gleditsia]]'' (honey locust), ''[[Acacia]]'', ''[[Mimosa]]'', and ''[[Delonix]]'' are [[Ornamental plant|ornamental]] [[tree]]s and [[shrub]]s.

Industrial farmed legumes include ''[[Indigofera]]'', cultivated for the production of [[Indigo dye|indigo]], ''[[Acacia]]'', for [[gum arabic]], and ''[[Derris]]'', for the insecticide action of [[rotenone]], a compound it produces.

Fallow or [[green manure]] legume species are cultivated to be tilled back into the soil to exploit the high nitrogen levels found in most legumes. Numerous legumes are farmed for this purpose, including ''[[Leucaena]]'', ''[[Cyamopsis]]'' and ''[[Sesbania]]''.

Various legume species are farmed for timber production worldwide, including numerous ''[[Acacia]]'' species, ''[[Dalbergia]]'' species, and ''[[Castanospermum australe]]''.

Melliferous plants offer [[nectar]] to [[bee]]s and other insects to encourage them to carry pollen from the [[flower]]s of one plant to others thereby ensuring pollination. Many Fabaceae species are important sources of pollen and nectar for bees, including for honey production in the beekeeping industry. Example Fabaceae such as [[alfalfa]], and various clovers including [[Trifolium repens|white clover]] and [[Melilotus|sweet clover]], are important sources of nectar and honey for the [[Apis mellifera|Western honey bee]].<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Nectar and Pollen Plants |last1=Oertel |first1=E. |date=1967 |journal=US Dep. Agr. Handbook |volume=335 |pages=10–16}}</ref>

=== Industrial uses ===

==== Natural gums ====
[[Natural gum]]s are vegetable exudates that are released as the result of damage to the plant such as that resulting from the attack of an insect or a natural or artificial cut. These exudates contain heterogeneous [[polysaccharide]]s formed of different sugars and usually containing [[uronic acid]]s. They form viscous colloidal solutions. There are different species that produce gums. The most important of these species belong to the Fabaceae. They are widely used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food, and textile sectors. They also have interesting therapeutic properties; for example [[gum arabic]] is [[antitussive]] and [[anti-inflammatory]].{{Medical citation needed |date=March 2024}} The most well known gums are [[tragacanth]] (''Astragalus gummifer''), gum arabic (''[[Acacia senegal]]'') and [[guar gum]] (''[[Cyamopsis tetragonoloba]]'').<ref name=autogenerated4>Kuklinski, C. 2000. Farmacognosia : estudio de las drogas y sustancias medicamentosas de origen natural. Ediciones Omega, Barcelona. {{ISBN |84-282-1191-4}}</ref>

=== Dyes ===

[[File:Indigo plant extract sample.jpg|thumb |[[Indigo dye|Indigo]] colorant]]

Several species of Fabaceae are used to produce dyes. The heartwood of logwood, ''[[Haematoxylon campechianum]]'', is used to produce red and purple dyes. The [[Histology|histological]] stain called [[haematoxylin]] is produced from this species. The wood of the Brazilwood tree (''[[Caesalpinia echinata]]'') is also used to produce a red or purple dye. The Madras thorn (''[[Pithecellobium dulce]]'') has reddish fruit that are used to produce a yellow dye.<ref name="MARQUEZ">Marquez, A. C., Lara, O.F., Esquivel, R. B. & Mata, E. R. 1999. Composición, usos y actividad biológica: Plantas medicinales de México II. UNAM. First edition. México, D.F.</ref> Indigo dye is extracted from the indigo plant ''[[Indigofera tinctoria]]'' that is native to Asia. In Central and South America dyes are produced from two species in the same genus: indigo and [[Maya blue]] from ''[[Indigofera suffruticosa]]'' and Natal indigo from ''[[Indigofera arrecta]]''. Yellow dyes are extracted from ''[[Butea monosperma]]'', commonly called flame of the forest and from dyer's greenweed, (''[[Genista tinctoria]]'').<ref name=botanical>{{cite web |url= http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/b/brodye72.html |title=Broom, Dyer's |access-date=September 1, 2020}}</ref>

=== Ornamentals ===

[[File:Erythrina crista-galli 08 ies.jpg|thumb |The cockspur coral tree ''[[Erythrina crista-galli]]'' is one of many Fabaceae used as [[ornamental plant]]s. In addition, it is the [[national flower]] of [[Argentina]] and [[Uruguay]].]]

Legumes have been used as ornamental plants throughout the world for many centuries. Their vast diversity of heights, shapes, foliage and flower colour means that this family is commonly used in the design and planting of everything from small gardens to large parks.<ref name="uno" /> The following is a list of the main ornamental legume species, listed by subfamily.
* Subfamily Caesalpinioideae: ''[[Bauhinia forficata]]'', ''[[Caesalpinia gilliesii]]'', ''[[Caesalpinia spinosa]]'', ''[[Ceratonia siliqua]]'', ''[[Cercis siliquastrum]]'', ''[[Gleditsia triacanthos]]'', ''[[Gymnocladus dioica]]'', ''[[Parkinsonia aculeata]]'', ''[[Senna multiglandulosa]]''.<ref name="Macaya">Macaya J. 1999. [http://www.chlorischile.cl/ Leguminosas arbóreas y arbustivas cultivadas en Chile.] Chloris Chilensis Año 2. Nº1.</ref>
* Subfamily Mimosoideae: ''[[Acacia caven]]'', ''[[Acacia cultriformis]]'', ''[[Acacia dealbata]]'', ''[[Acacia karroo]]'', ''[[Acacia longifolia]]'', ''[[Acacia melanoxylon]]'', ''[[Acacia paradoxa]]'', ''[[Acacia retinodes]]'', ''[[Acacia saligna]]'', ''[[Acacia verticillata]]'', ''[[Acacia visco]]'', ''[[Albizzia julibrissin]]'', ''[[Calliandra tweediei]]'', ''[[Paraserianthes lophantha]]'', ''[[Prosopis chilensis]]''.<ref name="Macaya" />
* Subfamily Faboideae: ''[[Clianthus puniceus]]'', ''[[Cytisus scoparius]]'', ''[[Erythrina crista-galli]]'', ''[[Erythrina falcata]]'','' [[Laburnum anagyroides]]'', ''[[Lotus peliorhynchus]]'', ''[[Lupinus arboreus]]'', ''[[Lupinus polyphyllus]]'', ''[[Otholobium glandulosum]]'','' [[Retama monosperma]]'', ''[[Robinia hispida]]'', ''[[Robinia luxurians]]'', ''[[Robinia pseudoacacia]]'', ''[[Styphnolobium japonicum|Sophora japonica]]'', ''[[Sophora macnabiana]]'','' [[Sophora macrocarpa]]'', ''[[Spartium junceum]]'', ''[[Teline monspessulana]]'', ''[[Tipuana tipu]]'', ''[[Wisteria sinensis]]''.<ref name="Macaya" />