Occurrence of Nodulation in the Leguminosae

• Published in: The New phytologist Vol. 111; no. 4; pp. 607 - 619
• Main Authors: de Faria, S. M., Lewis, G. P., Sprent, J. I., Sutherland, J. M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Cambridge University Press 01-04-1989; Blackwell Publishing Ltd; Blackwell
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Biological taxonomies; Botanical gardens; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genera; Infections; Legumes; Leguminosae; Nitrogen fixing trees; Nodulation; Nodules; Parasitism and symbiosis; Plant physiology and development; Plants; Root nodules; taxonomy; Leguminosae; Nodulation; taxonomy
• ISSN: 0028-646X; 1469-8137
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.1989.tb02354.x

Reports of nodulation in the Leguminosae are examined in the light of current views on the taxonomy of the family. In the subfamily Caesalpinioideae, nodulation is largely restricted to the tribe Caesalpinieae and the genus Chamaecrista from the Cassieae. All nodules studied have rhizobia retained within infection threads during the nitrogen fixing period. In the Mimosoideae, nodulation is general, except for 4 groups within the tribe Mimoseae, and a very few species of Acacia. The only tribe from the Papilionoideae which appears not to nodulate is the Dipterygeae, although the monogeneric Euchresteae has not been examined. A number of genera in the Swartzieae do not nodulate. Taking the family as a whole, nodulation appears to be very uniform - certain sections nodulate, others do not.