Abstract We studied the morphology of the androecium in 168 species and subspecies of Fabaceae from SW Europe and its relationship with nectar production. Six androecium types were recognized: monadelphous; pseudomonadelphous without basal fenestration; pseudomonadelphous with basal fenestration; diadelphous; reduced diadelphous; and androecium with free stamens. The monadelphous androecium appears in the tribe Genisteae, in Ononis , and in Galega officinalis, and the pseudomonadelphous without basal fenestration only in the genus Coronilla, with both types having the same functionality—they are linked to the absence of nectar from an intrastaminal nectary, their taxa being mostly polliniferous. The pseudomonadelphous androecium with basal fenestration appears in around 38% of the taxa studied and has the same functionality as the diadelphous androecium: there is nectar secretion from an intrastaminal nectary in both. The reduced diadelphous androecium only appears in three species ( Biserrula pelecinus, Vicia pubescens and Astragalus epiglottis ), and its functionality could be related to the syndrome accompanying autogamy in Angiosperms. The free stamen androecium may imply a greater nectar production than other types.