- published: 19 Jan 2013
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A legume /ˈlɛɡʲuːm/ in botanical writing is a plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or a fruit of these specific plants. A legume fruit is a simple dry fruit that develops from a simple carpel and usually dehisces (opens along a seam) on two sides. A common name for this type of fruit is a pod, although the term "pod" is also applied to a few other fruit types, such as vanilla and radish. Well-known legumes include alfalfa, clover, peas, beans, lentils, lupins, mesquite, carob, soy, and peanuts. Locust trees (Gleditsia or Robinia), wisteria, and the Kentucky coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus) are also legumes. They are referred in India as Kathod or pulses
The term legume is derived from the Latin word legumen (with the same meaning as the English term), which is believed to come from the verb legere, meaning "to gather." English borrowed the term from the French légume, which in modern language refers to any kind of vegetable. (The English word legume for the plant family translates into French as légumineuse.)