adding labels to stackplot

Author: Francis Colas

lib/matplotlib/stackplot.py

@@ -41,26 +41,27 @@ def stackplot(axes, x, *args, **kwargs):
                 can be found at http://www.leebyron.com/else/streamgraph/.
 
 
+    *labels* : A list or tuple of labels to assign to each data series.
+
+
     *colors* : A list or tuple of colors. These will be cycled through and
                used to colour the stacked areas.
                All other keyword arguments are passed to
                :func:`~matplotlib.Axes.fill_between`
 
+
     Returns *r* : A list of
     :class:`~matplotlib.collections.PolyCollection`, one for each
     element in the stacked area plot.
-
-    Note that :class:`~matplotlib.legend.Legend` does not support
-    :class:`~matplotlib.collections.PolyCollection` objects.  To create a
-    legend on a stackplot, use a proxy artist:
-    http://matplotlib.org/users/legend_guide.html#using-proxy-artist
     """
 
     if len(args) == 1:
         y = np.atleast_2d(*args)
     elif len(args) > 1:
         y = np.row_stack(args)
 
+    labels = iter(kwargs.pop('labels', []))
+
     colors = kwargs.pop('colors', None)
     if colors is not None:
         axes.set_color_cycle(colors)
@@ -104,12 +105,14 @@ def stackplot(axes, x, *args, **kwargs):
     # Color between x = 0 and the first array.
     r.append(axes.fill_between(x, first_line, stack[0, :],
                                facecolor=six.next(axes._get_lines.color_cycle),
+                               label= six.next(labels, None),
                                **kwargs))
 
     # Color between array i-1 and array i
     for i in xrange(len(y) - 1):
         color = six.next(axes._get_lines.color_cycle)
         r.append(axes.fill_between(x, stack[i, :], stack[i + 1, :],
                                    facecolor= color,
+                                   label= six.next(labels, None),
                                    **kwargs))
     return r