Reproductive Morphology and Success in Annual versus Perennial Legumes: Evidence from Astragalus and the Fabeae (Papilionoideae)

The third largest angiosperm family, Leguminosae, displays a broad range of reproductive strategies and has an exceptional practical value. Whereas annual legume species are mostly planted as crops, there is a significant interest in breeding and cultivating perennials. It is therefore of importance to compare reproductive traits, their interactions and the resulting productivity between related annual and perennial species. Two highly variable taxa were chosen for this purpose, the Fabeae tribe, including numerous temperate crops, and the largest angiosperm 'megagenus'