Exudates from the plant family Fabaceae have been characterized by proton and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The 79 identified species from 38 genera represent all three subfamilies of this widespread and economically important angiospermous (flowering) family. The observed exudates include resins, gums, kinos, gum resins, and a few materials as yet unclassified molecularly. Exudates from the subfamily Caesalpinoideae are primarily resins, whereas those from the Mimoisoideae and Faboideae are primarily gums. Three species of the Mimoisoideae produce both gums and kinos.