Botanical Composition of Fabaceae Family in the Brazilian Northeast, Maranhão, Brazil

Fabaceae, one of the most diverse families in the world, recognized for its ecological and economic potential; divided into six subfamilies (Caesalpinioideae, Cercidoideae, Detarioideae, Dialioideae, Duparquetioideae) In Brazil, it is the largest botanical family found in all the ecosystems (Amazon and Atlantic Forest, Caatinga, Cerrado, Pantanal and Pampa). The Present investigation identified 22 species, distributed in 14 genera and four subfamilies. Mimosa was the most representative genus, with five sorts, followed by Bauhinia with three and Aeschynomene with two, as to the habit, and 12 species considered shrubs. The composition shown were the floristic list, that help in understanding of plant species present in ecosystems investigated and filling gaps in the Brazilian´s Northeast biodiversity.