Interest in these plants, in addition to their effectiveness against numerous pests, is also because commercial pyrethrum and rotenone insecticides derived from these plants are also comparatively nontoxic to man and other warm-blooded animals. They may be used with safety in the household, for livestock dips and sprays, and on garden vegetables, fruits and canning crops.

The volume contains a comprehensive taxonomic account of the family Leguminosae as a framework for the author's census report of the nodulating and non-nodulating genera and species. The main body of the work consists of synopses of 750 leguminous genera arranged alphabetically. Each is described taxonomically within its proper tribe and subfamily, in accordance with accepted classification systems. All of the nodulation data from the survey are further summarized in tabular alphabetical listings of genera under each of the three subfamily categories.