An annual or perennial, erect herb, 12—50(—90) cm tall, not or sparingly branched, tubers cylindrical, up to 3 cm x 5 cm. Leaves alternate, 1-foliolate; stipules linear, 4—5(—10) mm long, persistent; leaflet oblong to linear, 1—8 cm x 0.3—2 cm, base rounded, apex acute or acuminate, with long hairs on margin and midrib, sparsely hairy above, densely pubescent below; petiolule 1—3(—10) mm long. Inflorescence an axillary pseudoraceme, 6—15 mm long, 1—3-flowered. Flowers papilionaceous, about 7 mm long; calyx campanulate, 5-lobed, hairy, tube 2 mm long, lobes narrow-triangular, 2—3 mm long; corolla pale bright yellow, sometimes tinged purple, standard auriculate, wings oblong, longer than the keel-petals; stamens 10, diadelphous, 1 free; ovary 2-ovulate. Fruit a cylindrical pod, 10—12 mm x 5—8 mm, 1—2-seeded, brown to black, covered with long brown to grey hairs, dehiscent. Seed reniform, 2—4 mm long, minutely pitted, arillate all along the width.

Astringent, diuretic and tonic (seeds)

PROSEA (Plant Resources of South-East Asia) Foundation

A decoction of the seeds, with grounded pepper added, is used for scrofula and diarrhoea. A decoction of the seeds is given to women to promote discharge of the afterbirth, and to treat leucorrhoea and menstrual derangements. The seed powder is externally applied to check cold sweats.