Leguminosae (Noun)
Meaning
A large family of trees, shrubs, vines, and herbs bearing bean pods; divided for convenience into the subfamilies Caesalpiniaceae; Mimosaceae; Papilionaceae.
Classification
Nouns denoting plants.
Examples
- Leguminosae is the third largest plant family, with nearly 20,000 known species, many of which are economically important.
- The Papilionaceae subfamily of Leguminosae includes peas, beans, lentils, and peanuts, among other edible plants.
- Many members of the Leguminosae family have root nodules containing nitrogen-fixing bacteria, allowing them to thrive in poor soil.
- The family Leguminosae is widely distributed, with its greatest diversity in the tropics, especially in South America and Africa.
- Leguminosae have been used for centuries in traditional medicine, with some species displaying anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties.