This document summarizes the key characteristics of plants in the Fabaceae family, also known as legumes. It describes their distribution in temperate and subtropical regions. Most are annual or perennial herbs, shrubs, or trees with branched taproots containing nitrogen-fixing nodules. Their leaves are alternately arranged and compound, stems are branched, and flowers are usually racemose with five fused sepals and five fused petals. Economically, they are important as vegetables, pulses, and for their ability to fix nitrogen in soil.