Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria were isolated from root nodules of Lupinus polyphyllus, Lathyrus latifolius and Robinia pseudoacacia. Based on the 16S rRNA gene phylogeny, they were closely related to Bosea species (100-97 % similarity), belonging to the class Alphaproteobacteria, family Bradyrhizobiaceae. The closest relatives of LMG 26383(T), LMG 26379(T) and LMG 26381(T) were respectively the type strains of Bosea thiooxidans (99.6 %), B. eneae (98.3 %) and B. minatitlanensis (99.0 %). Chemotaxonomic data, including major fatty acid profiles, supported the assignment of our strains to the genus Bosea. Analysis of the concatenated sequences of five housekeeping genes (atpD, dnaK, gyrB, recA and rpoB) and the results of DNA-DNA hybridizations and physiological and biochemical tests allowed genotypic and phenotypic differentiation of our strains from each other and from the five Bosea species with validly published names. No nodA or nodC genes could be amplified, while nifH PCR gave non-specific products. On the basis of genotypic and phenotypic data, three novel species, Bosea lupini sp. nov. (type strain LMG 26383(T) = CCUG 61248(T) = R-45681(T)), Bosea lathyri sp. nov. (type strain LMG 26379(T) = CCUG 61247(T) = R-46060(T)) and Bosea robiniae sp. nov. (type strain LMG 26381(T) = CCUG 61249(T) = R-46070(T)), are proposed.