A new subfamily classification of the Leguminosae based on a taxonomically comprehensive phylogeny: The Legume Phylogeny Working Group (LPWG)
Authors: Azani Nasim , Babineau Marielle , Bailey C. Donovan , Banks Hannah , Barbosa Ariane R. , Pinto Rafael Barbosa , Boatwright James S. , Borges Leonardo M. , Brown Gillian K. , Bruneau Anne , Candido Elisa , Cardoso Domingos , Chung Kuo-Fang , Clark Ruth P. , Conceição Adilva de S. , Crisp Michael , Cubas Paloma , Delgado-Salinas Alfonso , Dexter Kyle G. , Doyle Jeff J. , Duminil Jérôme , Egan Ashley N. , de la Estrella Manuel , Falcão Marcus J. , Filatov Dmitry A. , Fortuna-Perez Ana Paula , Fortunato Renée H. , Gagnon Edeline , Gasson Peter , Rando Juliana Gastaldello , de Azevedo Tozzi Ana Maria Goulart , Gunn Bee , Harris David , Haston Elspeth , Hawkins Julie A. , Herendeen Patrick S. , Hughes Colin E. , Iganci João R.V. , Javadi Firouzeh , Kanu Sheku Alfred , Kazempour-Osaloo Shahrokh , Kite Geoffrey C. , Klitgaard Bente B. , Kochanovski Fábio J. , Koenen Erik J.M. , Kovar Lynsey , Lavin Matt , le Roux Marianne , Lewis Gwilym P. , de Lima Haroldo C. , López-Roberts Maria Cristina , Mackinder Barbara , Maia Vitor Hugo , Malécot Valéry , Mansano Vidal F. , Marazzi Brigitte , Mattapha Sawai , Miller Joseph T. , Mitsuyuki Chika , Moura Tania , Murphy Daniel J. , Nageswara-Rao Madhugiri , Nevado Bruno , Neves Danilo , Ojeda Dario I. , Pennington R. Toby , Prado Darién E. , Prenner Gerhard , de Queiroz Luciano Paganucci , Ramos Gustavo , Filardi Fabiana L. Ranzato , Ribeiro Pétala G. , de Lourdes Rico-Arce María , Sanderson Michael J. , Santos-Silva Juliana , São-Mateus Wallace M.B. , Silva Marcos J.S. , Simon Marcelo F. , Sinou Carole , Snak Cristiane , de Souza Élvia R. , Sprent Janet , Steele Kelly P. , Steier Julia E. , Steeves Royce , Stirton Charles H. , Tagane Shuichiro , Torke Benjamin M. , Toyama Hironori , da Cruz Daiane Trabuco , Vatanparast Mohammad , Wieringa Jan J. , Wink Michael , Wojciechowski Martin F. , Yahara Tetsukazu , Yi Tingshuang , Zimmerman Erin 
Published: March 2017

The classification of the legume family proposed here addresses the long‐known non‐monophyly of the traditionally recognised subfamily Caesalpinioideae, by recognising six robustly supported monophyletic subfamilies. This new classification uses as its framework the most comprehensive phylogenetic analyses of legumes to date, based on plastid matK gene sequences, and including near‐complete sampling of genera (698 of the currently recognised 765 genera) and ca. 20% (3696) of known species. The matK gene region has been the most widely sequenced across the legumes, and in most legume lineages, this gene region is sufficiently variable to yield well‐supported clades. This analysis resolves the same major clades as in other phylogenies of whole plastid and nuclear gene sets (with much sparser taxon sampling). Our analysis improves upon previous studies that have used large phylogenies of the Leguminosae for addressing evolutionary questions, because it maximises generic sampling and provides a phylogenetic tree that is based on a fully curated set of sequences that are vouchered and taxonomically validated. The phylogenetic trees obtained and the underlying data are available to browse and download, facilitating subsequent analyses that require evolutionary trees. Here we propose a new community‐endorsed classification of the family that reflects the phylogenetic structure that is consistently resolved and recognises six subfamilies in Leguminosae: a recircumscribed Caesalpinioideae DC., Cercidoideae Legume Phylogeny Working Group (stat. nov.), Detarioideae Burmeist., Dialioideae Legume Phylogeny Working Group (stat. nov.), Duparquetioideae Legume Phylogeny Working Group (stat. nov.), and Papilionoideae DC. The traditionally recognised subfamily Mimosoideae is a distinct clade nested within the recircumscribed Caesalpinioideae and is referred to informally as the mimosoid clade pending a forthcoming formal tribal and/or clade‐based classification of the new Caesalpinioideae. We provide a key for subfamily identification, descriptions with diagnostic charactertistics for the subfamilies, figures illustrating their floral and fruit diversity, and lists of genera by subfamily. This new classification of Leguminosae represents a consensus view of the international legume systematics community; it invokes both compromise and practicality of use.