Fabaceae family(Lens culinaris)
Fabaceae family
Lentils are native to the Near East, having been domesticated as early as 9000 B.C. They are an Old World relative of beans. Lentil differs from its wild progenitor, L. orientalis, in that the former has pods that do not dehisce, the seed do not shatter, and they lack seed dormancy. Lentils are an important protein source in indigenous diets of India and the Middle East, and are usually eaten in the US as lentil soup.