Publisher's Synopsis
Flora of North America North of Mexico Volume 11: Magnoliophyta: Fabaceae, Parts 1 and 2 includes treatments prepared by 70 authors covering 1,345 species in 153 genera. The Fabaceae, or bean family, is the third largest plant family in the world. Its economic importance as a source of food, medicine, and materials is second only to grasses, it is ecologically vital in nearly all ecosystems, and it contains many major invasive species. All genera, native and naturalized, are treated in this volume, including Astragalus, the largest genus in the world, with 350+ species in the Flora. The collaborative product of an international team of experts, this is the first comprehensive treatment of this family in North America to reflect the extensive changes to its classification resulting from contemporary research and current understanding of its diversity and distribution. Descriptions for all genera, species, and recognized infraspecies are provided, as are occurrence maps for all species and infraspecies. Every genus and 15% of the species are illustrated. Keys are included to aid in the identification of genera in families and species within the genera. Volume 11, parts 1 and 2, is the twenty-third volume to be published in the planned 30-volume Flora of North America North of Mexico series.
