Leguminosae family

LEGUMINOSAE (now separated into CAESALPINIACEAE, FABACEAE, MIMOSACAE, PAPILIONACEAE) - The Pea Family
This is one of the largest and most useful plant families. - 17,000 species, distributed almost throughout the world. It includes many well-known vegetables particularly of temperate regions (Beans, Peas), ornamental trees in tropical regions (Bauhinia, Flamboyant, Cassia), fodder crops (Clover, Lucerne) and weeds (Vetches and Trefoils), and their growth habits vary from ground cover and aquatic to shrubs, climbers and trees. Many species of trees in this family are important for their timber.
(I'm sorry, but the differences between the new families are too complicated for me, so I'm lumping them all together under the old name Leguminosae)
CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS PLANT FAMILY:
Leaves, Stem & Roots ~ The leaves of this plant family are placed alternately up the stem, and are pinnate or bipinnate. In some species, the leaves are able to close together at night (nyctinasty), and in some species of Mimosa they close when touched. The roots are one of the most easily recognisable features of this plant family. Most species have irregular nodules on the roots which enable the plant to absorb nitrogen from the air in the soil and convert it into the nitrogen the plant needs for growth. This enables the species to grow and produce crops in poor soil.
Flowers ~ Many members of the Leguminosae family have flowers of the typical 'pea' type. These are composed of one large back petal (the standard), two side petals called wings and two lower petals fused together to form a 'keel'. In members of the family which have other flower shapes, there are still five petals. The flowers may occur individually, or in large clusters.
Recently, the international panel of botanists who rule on these things decided that all plant families ought to have the same ending (-aceae), and be named after a plant typical of the family. This has resulted in several groups which were previously sub-families of the Leguminosae being elevated to family status. These new plant families include Caesalpiniaceae, Fabaceae and Papilionaceae. The differences which separate the members of these new families may be unidentifiable to the non-botanist, and the similarities which they share as members of the Leguminosae family are still the easiest way to identify these plants.
Seeds ~ It is the seedpods that give this family its original name. The typical pea-pod shape is a legume. It is always a single chamber, although it may be constricted between the individual seeds. The pod may contain just one or several seeds, and they are usually large, and sometimes brightly coloured. The coat of the individual seed is often watertight. Each seed contains a large embryo and little endosperm, so they often germinate quickly once the seedcoat is punctured.

Cassia tora

English Name: Foetid cassia, The Sickle Senna, Wild Senna
Common (Indian) names:

Hindi: Charota,Chakvad,Chakavat।

Bengali & Oriya: चकुंदा

Gujrati: कावारिया

Canarese: गंदुतोगाचे

Malyalam: Chakramandrakam,टकरा

Marathi: तकला

Sanskrit : Chakramarda,Dadmari,Dadrughra,

Tamil: तागा

Telugu: Chinnakasinda

Family: Leguminosae
Habitat: In India it occur as wasteland rainy season weed.
Botany: It is an annual foetid herb, 30–90 cm high .
Leaves: pinnate, up to 10 cm long rachis grooved, conical gland between each of two lowest pairs of leaflet, leaflets in 3 pairs, opposite, obovate, oblong and base oblique.
Flowers: In pair in axils of leaves, petals five, pale yellow.
Fruit: Pod, Obliquely separate.
Seed: 30-50 rhombhedral
Flowering time: After the monsoon rains (in Indian conditions)
Useful parts: Roots, Leaves, and Seeds.
Medicinal Properties and Uses: According to Ayurveda the leaves and seeds are acrid, laxative , antiperiodic, anthelmintic, ophthalmic, liver tonic, cardiotonic and expectorant. The leaves and seeds are useful in leprosy, ringworm, flatulence, colic, dyspepsia, constipation, cough, bronchitis, cardiac disorders.
Ayuerveda Formulation: Chakramadha Tailamu.
Other uses: Recommended for reclamation of saline, alkaline and brackish soils. Used as green manure crop in acidic soils. Dried seed contain protein (up to 24 percent) and is given as a protien rich feed for livestock and birds. Roasted seeds are substituted for coffee like Tephrosia seeds. Seeds yield tannins and dyes (yellow, blue and red). fields a gum (7.50%),which is a good agent for suspending and binding. The aqueous extracts of whole plant and leaves produces inhibitory allelopathic effects on common weeds specially on Parthenium hysterophorus. Recommended to grow in Parthenium infested areas as smoother crop. Stimulatory allelopathic effects on rice and wheat have been reported. Seeds used in preparation of sweet dishes. Leaves are popular potherb. In organic farms of India, Cassia tora is used as natural pesticide. Fungicidal activity of chrysophanic acid-9-anthrone from Cassia tora have been reported.
Chemical Constituents
Roots: 1,3,5-trihydroxy-6-7-dimethoxy-2-methylanthroquinone and beta-sitosterol.
Seeds: Naptho-alpha-pyrone-toralactune, chrysophanol, physcion, emodin, rubrofusarin, cchrysophonic acid-9-anthrone.
Leaves: Emodin, tricontan-1-0l, stigmasterol, b-sitosteral-b-D-glucoside, freindlen, palmitic, stearic, succinic and d-tartaric acids uridine, quercitrin and isoquercitrin.

Tamarindus Indica इमली

Tamarindus indica
Genus: Tamarindus

Specific Epithet: indica

Common Names: tamarind, Indian date

Family: Fabaceae (Leguminosae)
Flower Color: yellow with red veinsForm: tropical evergreen treeHardiness Zone: 10 Height: 80' Soil: well-drained, light soilSun: part shade to full sun
Uses and Application: culinary, medicinal, ornamental, economic, dyeParts Used: primarily fruits and seeds, but leaves, flowers, wood and bark are also used
.Food (pods are edible and the pulp used to make beverages, curries, chutneys and sauces); medicine (fruit improves digestion, coliic, relieves gas, soothes sore throats, and acts as a mild laxative, refrigerant & carminative); dye & tannin (leaves & flowers useed as mordants in dyeing); textile (kernel powder used in color printing of textiles, paper sizing, leather treating, the manufacture of a structural plastic, a glue for wood, a stabilizer in bricks, a binder in sawdust briquettes, and a thickener in some explosives); essential oils (seeds yield an amber oil useful as an illuminant and as a varnish especially preferred for painting dolls and idols)