All adults and even children know beans and peas, beans and lentils, fragrant acacias and clover, peanuts and mimosa, and meanwhile, all these are plants of the legume (or moth) family. An extensive group, it is difficult to overestimate the benefits of which for a person. We eat these plants, plant them for beauty, improve the soil with them, use wood, dye clothes, and even heal ourselves.
Legume family: general characteristics
The family, familiar to everyone from school, unites a huge number of species, according to rough estimates, about 17-18 thousand. Botanists divide it into three subfamilies (based on the structure of the flower): caesalpinia, mimosa, moth. It is interesting to note that leguminous plants include the genus Astragalus, which has the largest number of species among flowering plants (about 2400). Plants of this family have a fairly large habitat both in the hot tropics (mainly caesalpine and mimosa), and in the Far North, in deserts and savannahs.
Nitrogen fixation is distinguishing feature the whole family. The roots of leguminous plants have nodules, which are formed as a result of the growth of parenchymal tissue. And this, in turn, is explained by the introduction and settlement inside the plant of nitrogen-fixing bacteria belonging to the genus Rhizobium. They have an amazing ability to absorb and accumulate atmospheric nitrogen, which is later used by the plant itself for its growth. Such large reserves are vital important element have a good effect on the environment. Legumes are great for improving soil fertility. This is widely used both on an industrial scale and by competent and knowledgeable gardeners who do not forget to alternate planting. different cultures in your area. Every year they return about 100-140 kilograms of nitrogen back to the soil per hectare.
The structure of the leaves of leguminous plants
Leguminous plants can have different leaf shapes. They can be conditionally divided into several groups:
- paired pinnate and doubly pinnate (pea, yellow acacia) leaves, they are located on both sides of the stem;
- simplified (reduced to one apical leaf);
- falsely simple, formed as a result of the fusion of two apical leaves;
- phyllodes (in African species of acacias) are flattened leaf petioles.
Leguminous plants are characterized by an amazing property - paired leaves can fold at night. This is due to the fact that there are thickenings at the base of the petioles, which, due to a change in turgor, set the leaf blade or only the leaves in motion. For example, bashful mimosa is able to do this instantly, since even a light touch of its leaves causes an instant loss of osmotic pressure in them. This property was noticed a very long time ago and was the reason for naming the plant so.
flower and inflorescence
Leguminous plants can have various inflorescences, but most often it is a panicle or brush, sometimes capitate brushes (clover), much less often they are reduced to a single flower. Representatives of the family are characterized by cross-pollination, in which pollen from one flower is transferred to another much less often by insects (bees, bumblebees) or bats and birds in tropical species.
The flowers of leguminous plants can be zygomorphic or actinomorphic (for example, mimosas). The calyx usually consists of four, less often of five sepals, which grow together. There are 5 petals (for all moths and some representatives of two other subfamilies) or 4. Their name and division are very interesting, depending on the function performed. So, the topmost and largest was called the "flag", it attracts insects that pollinate the plant. The petals located on the sides are commonly called wings, and this is a kind of "landing area". The innermost, as a rule, grow together along the lower edge and form a boat that protects the stamens and pistil from insects that are not pollinators. But, for example, in mimosa, all petals are of the same shape - free or fused.
The fruits of leguminous plants
In this case, there is an absolute unity of all species of the family. The fruit is called a bean (single- or multi-seeded), opening along the dorsal or ventral suture. Seeds inside the fruit are quite large, with or without endosperm, cotyledons are well developed. Appearance the bean can be absolutely any, as well as the size. In some species, its length reaches one and a half meters. Seed dispersal sometimes occurs on its own, when the valves of the fruit, when opened, twist in a spiral, and they scatter in different directions, for example, in an acacia. Some tropical species are dispersed by animals or birds. The ovary of the familiar peanut (peanut) due to negative geotropism, that is, the ability to grow and develop in a certain direction, when formed, goes into the soil by 8-10 cm, where the fruit then develops.
The value of legumes in the economy
In terms of practical importance for humans, plants of the legume family are second only to cereals. Among them are a huge number of food crops of world importance: soybeans, peas, beans, peanuts, chickpeas, lentils and many others. Some of them have been cultivated by people for more than a millennium.
Leguminous plants are of great importance as forage grasses, this category includes: clover, alfalfa, lupine, sainfoin, etc. Some tropical members of the family (for example, logwood, pericopsis, dalbergia) are a source of valuable and highly decorative wood, painted in pink, almost red, dark brown or almost black.
Decorative and medicinal value
There are also decorative types among legumes, such as wisteria. it tree view originally from China with large carpal fragrant inflorescences. A very popular garden and park plant. Another representative is the whitened acacia, which is widespread on the Black Sea coast. From herbaceous gardens, for example, sweet peas, lupins are grown. Everyone knows the indigo color, but few people know that the dye of the same name is obtained from the indigo dye plant, a small shrub from the legume family.
Some species have long been used in medicine: fenugreek, astragalus, sweet clover, etc. Everyone is familiar with licorice, or naked licorice. It is a herbaceous leguminous plant that is widely used throughout the world as medicine cough (healing properties have been known since ancient Egypt). Its roots and rhizomes are used for this. In some European countries, licorice sweets are very popular, which even children love. They have a characteristic black glossy color.
The list of leguminous plants consists of several thousand names. Among them there are both well-known and rare ones (for example, dalbergia, piscidia, robinia). When asked which plants belong to legumes, biologists give the following definition: legumes are all dicotyledonous plants of the Bean order. Below are photos and names of leguminous plants with brief description their features.
What plants are legumes
Leguminous plants include, but are not limited to, peas, beans, soybeans, and clover. Among them are fodder grasses, and there are cereals, the seeds of which are very nutritious. It is not for nothing that legumes are called vegetable meat: after all, seeds hidden in a special fruit - a bean, contain a lot of protein and can replace animal meat.
Legumes are also called moths, although, strictly speaking, moths are only one of two subfamilies, the second is mimosa. In moths, the flower really resembles a butterfly or a boat. It has five petals: the upper one is large - the flag, two side ones - oars or wings, and the two lower ones, fused or stuck together, represent a boat.
What are leguminous plants
Speaking specifically, what are legumes, beans, peas, lentils and soy are most often mentioned.
It has many varieties and is grown not only for its seeds, but also for its flowers. Ornamental beans are called "Turkish beans".
It has a fruit typical of its family - a flat bivalve bean with pea seeds. They are usually round or slightly angular.
Lentils grows in the Mediterranean, Transcaucasia, Asia Minor and Central Asia. It has been very popular since ancient times. Lentil stew is even mentioned in the Bible.
Lupine known to people since ancient times. Its name comes from the Latin word "lupus" - "wolf". No wonder lupine is called wolf beans, because its seeds contain poisonous bitter substances. But lupine flowers are very beautiful, and he himself is extremely useful - nodule bacteria that live on its roots enrich the soil with nitrogen. Therefore, lupine is an excellent fertilizer.
People have been growing soybeans since ancient times, knowing full well its value. Chinese archaeologists have found images of soybeans on rocks, bones and turtle shells. And these drawings are from 3000 to 4000 years old. Today, soy is cultivated all over the world, it is highly valued for its yield, and for its high content of proteins and vitamins. The use of these legumes in cooking is very wide: pasta, sauces, meat and even milk are made from soybeans. True, these meat and milk are vegetable, but can partially replace animal products.
Bean family trees with photo
Carob trees from the legume family grow in the Mediterranean. It has served people for a long time. It was used as a whole - they ate the fruits themselves and fed livestock, made honey and wine from the juice, made notes on the leaves, tannins were extracted from the bark, and furniture and musical instruments were made from the tree.
Photo gallery
Carob, or siliculose ceratonia, is the only Mediterranean plant that blooms in autumn.
In the XX century. from hard and strong seeds of a leguminous tree they made glue for the manufacture of parachutes, and the bones served as the main material in the production of photographic and film films.
The carob tree is named for the curved shape of its pods.
seeds carob have an amazing property - they have the same mass - 0.19 g, and even with long-term storage she doesn't change. The ancient Romans used them as weights for precise measurements. These seeds were called "karat". Hence the measure that is used today in the assessment precious stones and as an indicator of the purity of gold. True, the modern metric carat is equal to 0.2 g.
Ceratonia leguminous grown today. And in the XX century. its beans were used to make glue for parachutes, materials for the production of photographic and film films. Today, carob powder is made from ceratonia, replacing cocoa and coffee. The weight of one of its grains is 0.19 g, which is the so-called "one carat". Liqueurs and compotes are made from ceratonia, gum is a thickener for cooking, and in medicine it is used to create various preparations.
When mature ceratonia pods are broken, they start to smell like baker's yeast. In addition, they contain juicy nutritious pulp. Apparently, therefore, the ceratonia was nicknamed "John's breadfruit." According to one legend, John the Baptist ate the fruits of the carob tree when he was alone away from people.
lesson type - combined
Methods: partially exploratory, problem presentation, reproductive, explanatory-illustrative.
Target:
Students' awareness of the importance of all the issues discussed, the ability to build their relationship with nature and society based on respect for life, for all living things as a unique and priceless part of the biosphere;
Tasks:
Educational: to show the multiplicity of factors acting on organisms in nature, the relativity of the concept of "harmful and beneficial factors", the diversity of life on planet Earth and the options for adapting living beings to the whole range of environmental conditions.
Developing: develop communication skills, the ability to independently acquire knowledge and stimulate their cognitive activity; the ability to analyze information, highlight the main thing in the studied material.
Educational:
The formation of an ecological culture based on the recognition of the value of life in all its manifestations and the need for a responsible, careful attitude to the environment.
Formation of understanding of the value of a healthy and safe lifestyle
Personal:
education of Russian civil identity: patriotism, love and respect for the Fatherland, a sense of pride in their homeland;
Formation of a responsible attitude to learning;
3) Formation of a holistic worldview, corresponding to the current level of development of science and social practice.
cognitive: ability to work with various sources information, convert it from one form to another, compare and analyze information, draw conclusions, prepare messages and presentations.
Regulatory: the ability to organize independently the execution of tasks, evaluate the correctness of the work, reflection of their activities.
Communicative: Formation of communicative competence in communication and cooperation with peers, older and younger in the process of educational, socially useful, teaching and research, creative and other activities.
Planned results
Subject: know - the concepts of "habitat", "ecology", " environmental factors» their influence on living organisms, «connections between living and non-living things»;. Be able to - define the concept of "biotic factors"; characterize biotic factors, give examples.
Personal: make judgments, search and select information; analyze connections, compare, find an answer to a problematic question
Metasubject:.
The ability to independently plan ways to achieve goals, including alternative ones, to consciously choose the most effective ways solving educational and cognitive problems.
Formation of the skill of semantic reading.
Form of organization learning activities - individual, group
Teaching methods: visual and illustrative, explanatory and illustrative, partially exploratory, independent work with additional literature and textbook, with DER.
Receptions: analysis, synthesis, conclusion, transfer of information from one type to another, generalization.
Goals: continue the formation of ideas about the diversity of flowering plants; introduce hallmarks plants of the legume family; teach how to compose morphological description plants, to give its systematic characteristics; continue the formation of skills in working with natural objects, the ability to recognize plants with a determinant or identification cards.
Equipment and materials: table "Fabaceae family", herbaria of plants of the legume family, model of a pea flower, collections and models of fruits, peanut beans (whole), wet preparation "Symbiosis on the roots of legumes".
Key words and concepts: angiosperms department, dicotyledonous class, legume family (pea); moth-type flower, irregular flower; flower formula, flower diagram, pollination methods and seed dispersal methods; subfamilies mimosa, caesalpinia, legumes; nitrogen-fixing bacteria, symbiosis.
During the classes
Knowledge update
Answer the questions.
What plants belong to the Rosaceae family?
What is the main direction of using these plants in life and economic activity human?
What features are key when combining these plants into one family?
What fruits are found in plants of this family?
What inflorescences are found in plants of this family?
What is the flower formula of plants of the Rosaceae family?
What kind medicinal plants do you know this family?
What diseases are these plants used for?
What life forms are typical for plants of this family?
Learning new material
Teacher's story with elements of conversation
Remember which families of dicotyledonous plants we have already studied. (Families cruciferous and rosaceae.)
Today we will get acquainted with another family of dicotyledonous plants, with the family legumes, which also has a second name - moth.(The teacher demonstrates the Bean Family table, as well as a collapsible model of a pea flower.)
Why do you think it got its name? (Answers from students.)
This family name arose due to the resemblance of a legume flower to a moth. Legumes are one of the most numerous families of flowering plants. It includes about 17,000 species plants (according to some sources, 13,000) out of almost 700 childbirth(according to some sources, out of 500). About 65 genera and more than 1800 species of plants of the legume family grow on the territory of Russia. At the same time, 23 species of them are listed in the Red Book.
Remember how many species belong to the rose-colored and cruciferous families. (The number of plant species of these families is about 3000.)
Say how many times the number of cruciferous and rosaceae species is less than legumes. (About 5.5 times.)
Plants of this family are common on all continents. the globe, from the tropics with a dry climate to areas with a temperate and even cold climate.
Among the plants of this family, there are a wide variety of life forms, such as trees, shrubs, semi-shrubs, creepers, annual and perennial grasses. It is typical that the majority herbaceous plants of this family is concentrated in temperate and cold climates, and a significant part of trees and shrubs - in tropical and subtropical regions.
Remember what feature of the structure of plants was the most important when combining rosaceae and cruciferous into one family. (The structure of a flower.)
When combining plants of the legume family, the structure of the flower also plays the most important role. The flower in plants of this family of the moth type is irregular.
What are the characteristics of irregular flowers? (Irregular flowers are called flowers that have only one axis of symmetry.)
If you draw an axis of symmetry and rotate the flower around its axis, its contours will coincide with the original ones only when passing through a full circle (360 °). Perianth double. The calyx consists of 5 fused sepals. The corolla consists of 5 heterogeneous petals. The legume flower is often compared to a ship-com. The top lobe is usually the largest. It is called a sail, or a flag. On the sides of it are two smaller free petals. They are called oars (sometimes - wings). The two lower petals are fused at the tops and look like a boat.
Some genera are characterized by the fusion of not only the petals of the boat, but also the oars, and sometimes the sails (for example, clover). There are usually 10 stamens, 9 of which are fused with stamen filaments, forming a stamen tube, and one remains free. In some species of plants of the family, all stamens grow together (for example, lupine), or the stamens may remain free. The pistil in plants of the legume family is always one.
Look at the image of a legume flower on the tables, as well as in the textbook, and try to write the formula for this flower. (One of the students writes the bean flower formula on the board, the class checks and corrects the mistakes. The teacher helps and supplements.)
The flower formula of most plant species of the legume family (moth-type flower) looks like this: LCH (5) L1 + 2 + (2) T (9) + 1P1.
Flowers can be solitary, and collected in inflorescence. Among the inflorescences, the most common brush (clover, lupine), head (clover), simple ear.
What do you think, what are the reasons for such a difficult arrangement of a flower? (Student answers.)
The purpose of such a complex flower is to force the insect to get dirty with pollen on its way to the nectar and, accordingly, transfer it to the pistil. Since the flowers are collected in inflorescences or located close to each other, the probability cross pollination increases sharply.
Legumes are typical pollinator diversity and, accordingly, many methods of pollination. They are pollinated mainly by bees and butterflies, less often by birds, sometimes by bats ( bats). But there are wind-pollinated plants or self-pollinated ones. In general, pollination is achieved by all possible ways.
Many plants of the family are characterized by the appearance special devices flowers for pollination in a specific way, or certain types pollinators. For example, clover flowers have such a structure that only insects with a long proboscis, such as bumblebees, can get nectar.
What do you think, what should be the fruit of plants of the legume family? (Student answers.)
Fetus plants in this family are called bean. It happens most often unilocular, multi-seeded, opening in two valves or splitting into separate segments. But in some plants, an unopened one-seeded fruit (clover) is formed.
Remember what the structure of the bean fruit is.
Draw the structure of the bean fruit. (One of the students draws on the board, others, if necessary, correct errors and inaccuracies.)
Draw the structure of the fruit pod. (One of the students draws on the board, others, if necessary, correct errors and inaccuracies.)
What is the difference in the structure of the bean fruit from the pod fruit? (Student answers.)
The bean fruit is unilocular, its seeds are attached to the walls of the fruit. And the fruit is a bilocular pod, its seeds are attached to the septum in the middle of the fruit.
What plant family has a pod fruit? (For cruciferous plants.)
seeds leguminous plants almost always without endosperm, with fleshy cotyledons. The embryo in the seeds is very large.
How many cotyledons do these seeds have? (The seeds of legumes have two cotyledons, since these plants belong to the dicotyledonous class.)
What is the function of the fleshy cotyledons? (They store nutrients necessary for the embryo in the first time after its germination, until it forms its own root system.)
Legumes have a variety of ways to disperse seeds. Some species do not need additional intermediaries, and the seeds are scattered or simply fall off on their own. In other types of legumes, the seeds are dispersed by birds, rodents, ants, or the wind. The leaves of the vast majority of species are complex with large stipules. Most often there are trifoliate leaves (clover), pinnate (peas, acacia, vetch), palmate (lu-pin). In many species, the leaves are modified into tendrils.
In what species of plants of the legume family have the leaves turned into tendrils? (For example, peas.)
The leaf arrangement is usually alternate. The root system in most species is pivotal. All representatives of legumes are characterized by the presence of special nodules on the roots, in which nitrogen-fixing bacteria settle. These bacteria are able to absorb nitrogen gas from the atmosphere and convert it into compounds available to plants.
How are nodules formed on the roots of legumes? (Bacteria from the soil penetrate into the cells of the roots of leguminous plants through root hairs. They cause division and an increase in the size of the cells, as a result of which similar modifications of the roots are formed in the form of nodules.)
Correctly. Bacteria receive a permanent residence, protection and additional nutrition in the form of carbohydrates and other metabolic products, and the plant is provided with minerals.
Remember the name of such a mutually beneficial existence. (Symbiosis, from the Greek "sim" - joint and "bios" - life.)
All organs of legumes are rich in substances containing nitrogen. In particular, the seeds contain a large amount of protein. In terms of the amount of this substance, legumes are more than twice as large as cereals. Wheat grains contain up to 12%, and beans - up to 25% of easily digestible, as in beef, protein, and soybeans - up to 45%. That is why the plants of this family are so valuable for people who adhere to diet food.
After harvesting legumes, the roots of these plants remain in the ground, due to which soil enriched with nitrogen. The legume family is usually divided into three subfamilies: mimosa, caesalpinia and legumes proper, or moths. The most numerous is the legume subfamily. Of the 700 genera of the legume family, about 500 belong to it, and out of 17,000 species, 12,000.
FamilyLegumes
Biology 6 .FamilyMothLegumes
FamilyMothLegumes
Resources:
I.N. Ponomareva, O.A. Kornilov, V.S. Kuchmenko Biology: Grade 6: a textbook for students of educational institutions
Serebryakova T.I., Elenevsky A. G., Gulenkova M. A. et al. Biology. Plants, Bacteria, Fungi, Lichens. Trial textbook grades 6-7 high school
N.V. Preobrazhenskaya Biology workbook for the textbook by V. V. Pasechnik “Biology Grade 6. Bacteria, fungi, plants
V.V. Pasechnik. Manual for teachers of educational institutions Biology lessons. 5th-6th grades
Kalinina A.A. Lesson developments in biology Grade 6
Vakhrushev A.A., Rodygina O.A., Lovyagin S.N. Verification and control work to
textbook "Biology", 6th grade
Presentation Hosting
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20
colored laminated key tables, including: woody plants (trees in winter, trees in summer, shrubs in winter and shrubs in summer), herbaceous plants (flowers of forests, meadows and fields, reservoirs and swamps and primroses), as well as mushrooms, algae, lichens and mosses ,
8
colored determinants herbaceous plants (wild flowers) middle lane Russia (publishing house "Ventana-Graf"), as well as
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methodical benefits and 40
educational and methodological films on methodologies conducting research work in nature (in the field).
FAMILY BEANS - FABACEAE, or LEGUMINOSAE
Residents of countries with a temperate climate are familiar with peas, beans, clover, vetch, white locust from childhood. In the tropics, the "rain tree" or adobe is well known ( Samanea saman), and one of the most beautiful trees in the world - royal delonix ( Delonix regia), which is sometimes called the "flame of the forests". carob fruit ( Ceratonia siliqua) were a favorite delicacy among the peoples who inhabited the countries of the Mediterranean, and soy ( Glycinemax) have been cultivated in China for several millennia. All these plants, at first glance so different, belong to the legume family, whose representatives are recognized in nature by complex leaves with stipules and a characteristic fruit, which botanists identify as a bean. From the Latin name for bean ( legumen) is one of the family names. Other name ( Fabaceae) associated with Latin name kind Faba.
Number known now childbirth legumes near
700
, a species
,
probably
,
at least
17
000
. Among flowering plants, only two families - orchid and Compositae- outnumber legumes in number of species.
Legumes common
very widely - from the Arctic to the Antarctic islands. In terms of breadth of distribution, representatives of the legume subfamily are generally second only to cereals. In most countries in tropical, warm temperate and boreal climates, legumes form a significant part of the local flora. Only in cold climates is their share relatively small.
Ability to adapt to a variety of natural conditions striking in legumes. They easily penetrate into many plant communities and are often their edificators. It is believed that in the grass stands of the forest and forest-steppe zones, legumes make up 10-20% of the total mass. Many legumes have perfectly adapted to the lack of moisture in heavy and infertile clay soils or on moving sands. In the humid tropics and subtropics, legumes often form part of the forest as the main species.
Speaking about the huge distribution of legumes, one should, however, indicate those communities and habitats where representatives of this family never enter. Thus, legumes are almost absent in freshwater communities.
Legumes - trees(often very large, sometimes up to 80 m high), shrubs
, bushes
,
shrubs
and herbs(the latter mainly in the legume subfamily).
Climbing forms, both herbaceous and woody, are quite common. On the roots most legumes (about 70% of species), some mimosa (10-15%), some caesalpinia have nodules. They are very various shapes and appear as growths of the parenchymal tissue of the root.
Leaves legumes are complex, with stipules, often falling early. Unpaired pinnate and ternate leaves are common in legumes. Some legumes are remarkable for their very large leaves.
Relatively rare leaves are secondarily simplified, in which the only plate is an apical unreduced leaflet. Such leaves fold in half at night. Sometimes the upper leaves or most of them are turned into antennae (as in peas and ranks). At the base of the petiole and petioles, there are often special thickenings - pads, with the help of which leaves and leaflets are set in motion under the influence of changes in turgor. The leaves and leaflets of such plants are capable of performing various nastic movements or, in the simplest cases, folding up for the night.
inflorescences in legumes, they can be both apical and axillary, more often side-flowered - with a brush or panicle, less often primate. The number of flowers in the inflorescence sometimes decreases, down to a single flower, but the size of the flower, as a rule, increases.
flowers legumes are in most cases bisexual, but unisexual flowers in a number of representatives are still known. Most often, flowers have 10 stamens, which are arranged in 2 circles. Sometimes, in the early stages of development, the primary tubercles that give rise to stamens split and the number of stamens increases many times over. The stamens of legumes, as a rule, grow together, but in a different way, and this determines a number of biological features of the flower. Most often, the accreting stamens form a tube that is not closed from above, and insects easily insert their proboscis, taking out the nectar that accumulates in it. It is usually not possible to insert a proboscis into a closed tube, and nectar either accumulates outside the tube, or is not formed at all, and abundant pollen will be the main attracting agent.
The gynoecium of legumes mostly consists of one carpel, but several archaic genera are known, in the flowers of which there are from 2 to 16 free carpels, usually sitting on a special stand - gynophore.
The number of ovules in the ovary varies from 2 to 15-20, but representatives of some genera have only one ovule. The shape and size of the calyx of legumes vary quite significantly. In the vast majority, the number of petals is 5, and only some representatives from different subfamilies have fewer.
Undoubtedly, the ancestors of modern legumes had a rather large open actinomorphic corolla, which allowed the flowers to be visited by a wide variety of insects and birds. The vast majority of legumes are remarkable for their more or less zygomorphic corolla. By resemblance to a moth, he was still in the 16th century. received the name of the moth in the botanical literature, and this name is often used to refer to the subfamily of legumes. The moth corolla consists of a larger upper petal - a flag, which covers all the other petals in the kidney and somewhat opposes them in a blossoming flower; two lateral petals form wings, and the innermost, fused in the upper half or sticking together, form a boat containing stamens and ovaries. At least 95% of legume species have the type of corolla described above. The remarkable stability of the moth's corolla, which is a kind of "biological lock" that protects the pollen and nectar reserves from inefficient pollinators, is associated with adaptation to pollination by bees and bumblebees.
The flag serves mainly to attract insects. On it, especially at the base, additional marks in the form of bright veins are often noticed. Attracted by a bright flag or a bright flower in general, the insect perches on the edge of the boat, or more often on one of the wings, and tends to introduce the proboscis to the base of the stamen filaments to the nectar reserves. In this case, the petals of the boat or wings are bent under the weight of the insect and its active movements, simultaneously making oscillatory movements in time with the movements of the insect's body. All petals begin to react as a single system, since they are connected through the ears and humps that each of the four petals has. Under the influence of insect movements, the flag is folded back, the wings move down and to the sides, and the stamens and gynoecium, due to a certain elasticity, retain a horizontal position and come into contact with the abdomen of the insect. When the insect flies away, the bent petals, again due to the mainly springy action of the ears, return to their previous position and the stamens and gynoecium take refuge in the boat.
For the vast majority of legumes, such type of
pollination like entomophilia. The role of pollinators in cross-pollination is performed by a variety of insects, and the pollination mechanism is often very subtle. Self-pollination is characteristic of relatively few legumes. Peas, lentils, species of lupins and astragalus, some wikis self-pollinate. Sometimes cleistogamy occurs, that is, self-pollination inside unopened flowers. Wind pollination is also less common.
The described type of pollination mechanism is common in many legumes, the most common, but not the only one. Sometimes, for example in species lollipop (lotus), lupine
(Lupinus) the edges of the boat near the apex grow together, forming a hollow cone, in the lower part of which anthers are placed, and the upper part is usually filled with mature pollen. When the boat is bent, the stamens push out pollen like a piston, and with stronger pressure, the gynoecium also protrudes. Some vetches have a special brush on the stigma or directly below it, which, when the petals are bent, "sweeps" pollen from the boat and applies it to the body of the insect.
Feature of the mechanism of pollination of flowers of different species alfalfa (Medicago) consists in the presence of a mandatory element called "tripping" (eng, tripping - shutdown, shutdown). At a certain moment, when a bee or a bumblebee opens the petals, the gynoecium, which is rigidly connected with them (in addition to the abalone, on the wings of alfalfa flowers there is also a special tooth that rests on the petals of the boat), jumps out of the boat and hits the belly of the insect. Without hitting some more or less solid object, the subsequent penetration of pollen tubes into the stigma tissue is impossible and pollination does not occur. The phenomenon of tripping reliably protects the plant from self-pollination.
Strong and relatively heavy insects such as bees and bumblebees, as well as birds, benefit from a moth-like corolla and specialized pollination mechanisms, and various flies and small weak butterflies are usually not very effective pollinators. In this case, a biological lock appears, which opens under certain conditions and reliably stores the food reserves guaranteed for certain types of insects. Interestingly, even the length of the insect's proboscis matters. Yes, many clovers the length of the stamen tube is 9-10 cm, which corresponds to the length of the proboscis of a number of bumblebees and bees. At common bee the proboscis is shorter, so it only bends the boat and collects accumulated pollen, but at the same time promotes cross-pollination. Often, short-proboscis insects simply steal nectar, piercing the integument of the flower from the outside. In this case, pollination, of course, does not occur. The number of insects "stealing" nectar increases in spring and autumn, when there are relatively few flowers.
Fetus legume, called a bean, develops from a single carpel. It is very diverse in morphological and anatomical features, which are purely adaptive in nature. Rarely, the fruit consists of several beans (in representatives of the family with flowers that have several carpels). When the fruits ripen, part of the seeds are aborted, which depends on a number of environmental factors (lack of pollinators, drought) and increases sharply during self-pollination. Beans of various sizes.
seeds legumes without endosperm. Spare nutrients are deposited directly in the cotyledons. Outside, the seeds are covered with a dense, shiny seed coat, which, under natural conditions, allows the seeds of some species to remain viable for decades.
In some species of legumes, the seeds germinate by bringing the cotyledons above the ground (aerial germination). Underground germination is considered more perfect, as it provides cotyledons with protection from being eaten by animals, trampling, temperature fluctuations, and so on. This type of germination is common to all vetch, some bean and other genera.
Diversity dissemination methods
among the representatives of the family is so great that we will note only a few and the most characteristic of them. There are known facts when a mature bean cracks, opening with two valves, which simultaneously twist with force and scatter seeds almost a meter from the parent plant. Cracking is associated with a special arrangement of mechanical tissue fibers in the pericarp. The seeds of many vetch and bean are scattered in a similar way. The fruits of many legumes, the distribution of which is facilitated by mammals, are characterized by various outgrowths or spines on the pericarp, which act as hooks.
The most important role in the dispersal of legumes is played by water and wind. Pterygoid outgrowths of the pericarp sometimes allow the fruits to plan for tens of meters.
The family is divided into 3 subfamilies : mimosa ( Mimosoideae), caesalpiniae ( Caesalpinoideae) and legumes proper, or legumes ( Faboideae), mainly based on differences in flower structure. Many botanists prefer to treat them as families in their own right.
Well-known outstanding the role of legumes in human life
. In terms of economic importance, they are second only to cereals. In addition to a very large group of food, among legumes there are many fodder, technical, melliferous, medicinal, decorative, giving valuable wood representatives.
The seeds of many legumes are the oldest component of the human diet of all times and almost all peoples. Legume seeds are exceptionally rich in proteins, and at the same time contain sufficient amounts of starch. Some cultivated species accumulate a lot of fatty oil in the seeds (soybeans, peanuts).
The nutritional value of legumes is invaluable. In the first place in the world in terms of occupied area, undoubtedly, are the views clover (Trifolium). 12-15 species are cultivated, many of which are already unknown in the wild. No less fodder value than clover, have species alfalfa (Medicago). Feeding value of many alfalfa is on average higher than that of clovers. Of the large number of cultivated species, we note first of all the alfalfa, or blue ( M. sativa). world square its crops are more than 20 million hectares. Alfalfa is pollinated exclusively by insects, and when there are not enough insects (about 500 million flowers per 1 hectare of crops), seed production drops sharply.
The technical significance of legumes is mainly due to the presence of various gums, balms, coloring and aromatic substances in a number of their representatives.
The use of legumes in medicine has a long history.
Many species of the family are also used as ornamental plants.
A story about legumes would be clearly incomplete without mentioning a number of valuable plants that are currently underused, but are an important reserve in the economy of all mankind. AT last years It has been established that some legumes from regions with a dry climate contain large amounts of protein in the aerial parts and, after appropriate selection, they can be used as fodder plants.
Legumes are one of the largest families of dicots. They are distributed throughout the land of the globe accessible to flowering plants and are represented by a wide variety of forms, from huge trees to lianas and tiny species growing in the desert. Representatives of legumes can live both at an altitude of 5 thousand meters, and in the Far North or in hot, waterless sands.
general characteristics
Legumes, the list of which includes about 18 thousand species, are widely used as food by animals and people.
Their root system consists of small tubers, which are formed from tissue that appears when nitrogen-fixing bacteria enter the root. They are able to fix nitrogen, thanks to which not only the plant itself, but also the soil receives nutrition.
The fruits of leguminous plants, like themselves, are very diverse. They can reach about one and a half meters in length. These plants are an important layer of flora, representing about 10% of flowering species. The most popular and common legumes are soybeans, vetch, beans, lentils, sainfoin, chickpeas, broad lupins, broad beans and common peanuts.
Soya
This product should be included in the list of legumes in the first place, since it is one of the most common and is grown in most regions of the world. Soybeans are a popular food product valued for their high plant-based protein and fat content. Thanks to this, soy is also a valuable component of animal feed.
Vika
It is one of the main legumes. Vetch is used both in the diet of people and for animal feed. As a feed, it is used in the form of hay, silage, or crushed grains.
Beans
The fruits of legumes, especially beans, contain many amino acids, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, protein and carotene. This is already a good reason for the regular consumption of this plant. Beans are used as a separate product and for the manufacture of Research on the properties of legumes have shown that this type of bean is a wonderful natural medicine that stimulates the elimination of many diseases.
Lentils
This subspecies combines all the benefits of the legume family, primarily due to the large amount of protein, minerals and vital amino acids. In addition, lentils are the champion in their class in terms of the amount of folic acid. It is used for processing into cereals and as animal feed.
Sainfoin
It is an herb of the legume family. It is used as animal feed both in the form of seeds and green mass, which is not inferior in nutritional value to alfalfa. Esparcet is highly valued as a honey crop.
chickpeas
Chickpeas are one of the most widespread legumes in the world. The list of food products that are produced on its basis is quite extensive. Since ancient times, this species has been distributed in the countries of Western and Central Asia, Africa, North America and the Mediterranean.
In particular, this product is used for food and feed purposes.
Chickpea beans are used as food in fried or boiled form, and they are also used to make canned food, soups, side dishes, pies, desserts and many more. national dishes. Here you can make an extensive list. Legumes, due to their high protein and fiber content, but low fat content, are often used in vegetarian and dietary diets.
feed peas
Already from the name of the culture it is clear how this subspecies is used. It is used as or for the preparation of silage. Feed pea beans are a very valuable animal feed product.
Peas
This is a cereal legume known throughout Europe since time immemorial. Among vegetable crops, pea beans are the richest natural similar to meat, due to the content a large number amino acids, sugar, vitamins, starch and fiber. Green and yellow peas are used for direct consumption, canning and preparation of cereals.
Lupine
This plant occupies an honorable place among fodder crops and is also included in the list of legumes. Lupine is called northern soybean, given the high protein content, which is about 30-48%, and fat with a share of up to 14%. Lupine beans have long been used as food and animal feed. The use of this product as a green fertilizer helps not to worsen the condition environment and grow organic products. Lupine is also used for the needs of pharmacology and forestry.
fodder beans
This is one of the world's most farming. In Europe, it is grown mainly as a fodder crop. Grain, green mass, silage and straw are used for feed. The protein of beans is highly digestible, so they are a highly nutritious food and a valuable component in the production of animal feed.
common peanut
When compiling a list of legumes that are especially popular, one cannot fail to mention peanuts.
The seeds of this plant are considered very useful, which contain a fatty oil used in the most various industries industry. It is thanks to him that peanuts are in second place among legumes in terms of nutrition. Its fruits contain about 42% oil, 22% protein, 13% carbohydrates. Most often they are consumed in a fried form, and the vegetative mass goes to animal feed.
Conclusion
These vegetable crops are very valuable and nutritious. Many people believe that eating legumes can lead to rapid weight gain, but this is not entirely true. Despite the fact that they are quite high in calories, all the elements contained in these products are of plant origin, so they do not carry any harm if not combined with the consumption of other high-calorie foods. Above is not the whole list of legumes suitable for human consumption, in fact there are many more. And this means that even the most sophisticated gourmet will find the look that he will like.