A much branched shrub up to 2 m tall, branches terete, much lenticellate, striate and glabrescent, young parts sharply triangular. Leaves 3-foliolate, petiole 1.5—6 cm long, stipules occasionally persistent, leaflets ovate or elliptical, base cuneate and acute or oblong, apex acuminate, entire or slightly undulate, upper surface variably sericeous when young, lower surface sericeous, terminal leaflet 7—15 cm x 3—6 cm, lateral leaflets (2—)6—9(—11) cm x (0.7—)2—4(—5) cm. Inflorescence with peduncle less than 1 cm long, 20—30-flowered, primary bracts 2—4 mm x 0.5—1.5 mm; calyx 5—9 mm long, corolla white or yellowish, standard suborbicular or broadly elliptical, wings elliptical, keel petals smaller than the wings, androecium 8—12 mm long, gynoecium 7—15 mm long, ovary densely pubescent. Pod sessile, compressed, (1—)3—5(—6)-jointed, swollen on the seeds, variably appressed-sericeous, lower suture more deeply undulate than upper, both sutures variably thickened, articles in outline broadly oblong-elliptical or quadrate, 4 mm x 3—4 mm, not reticulated.

Aphrodisiac (roots macerated in alcohol); antibacterial and anti-inflammatory (leaves).

PROSEA (Plant Resources of South-East Asia) Foundation

Used to treat dysentery and diarrhoea (leaves); applied as a poultice for the treatment of snake bites (leaf sap); to cure coughs (decoction of roasted leaves); to treat leucorrhoea (whole plant).