# Legumes (*Fabaceae*) Legumes are special plants that grow in pods and can be found in many places. They are important for the soil and can help feed people and animals. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Grasslands - **Also known as:** Beans, Lentils, Peas ![Legumes](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Fabaceae_flower.jpg&width=800) Photo: fir0002 flagstaffotos \[at\] gmail.com Canon 20D + Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8, GFDL 1.2 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fabaceae_flower.jpg) ## Appearance The Legumes family encompasses plants with diverse forms, often featuring pinnately compound leaves. Many produce characteristic pea-like flowers, typically in shades of white, yellow, pink, or purple, and develop distinctive seed pods. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Fabales - **Family:** Fabaceae ## Interesting facts - Did you know a single peanut plant can grow up to 50 peanuts underground? - Some ancient legume seeds, like Arctic lupine, have sprouted after 10,000 years! - The amazing Mimosa pudica, a legume, can quickly fold its leaves when you touch them! - The pods of certain legumes, such as carob, are eaten and even used as a chocolate substitute! ## Special abilities - **Nitrogen Factory:** Legumes can house special bacteria in their roots that convert air's nitrogen into plant food. - **Seed Slingers:** Legumes develop unique seed pods that protect seeds and often split open to disperse them far away. - **Root Buddies:** Legumes form a helpful partnership with bacteria, sharing food and making soil richer. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 5-3000 cm - **Spread:** 5-2000 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-15 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring-summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Symbiotic with:** Rhizobium bacteria (*Rhizobium leguminosarum*) — fixes nitrogen in root nodules for legumes - **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — visits legume flowers for their abundant nectar - **Eaten by:** [European Rabbit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-rabbit) (*Oryctolagus cuniculus*) — feeds on clover and other low-growing legumes - **Parasitizes:** Common Broomrape (*Orobanche minor*) — attaches to legume roots, drawing nutrients ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Nitrogen Fixing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nitrogen-fixing): Describes organisms capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into compounds usable by plants. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Agricultural](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/agricultural): This human use trait describes species cultivated or domesticated by humans for agricultural purposes, including crops and livestock. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Symbiotic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/symbiotic): Describes a relationship between two different species where they live in close association, often benefiting one or both. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always wash your hands after touching plants, and don't eat anything you find outside without asking an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Legumes? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Legumes? 5-3000 cm ### How wide does Legumes spread? 5-2000 cm ### How big are the flowers on Legumes? 0.5-15 cm ### When does Legumes bloom? Spring-summer ### Is Legumes edible? Yes ### Is Legumes toxic? None ### What is Legumes's lifecycle? Perennial ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Legumes: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/legumes)