A softly woody, branching herb or small tree with dense foliage, 0.5-4 m tall, with velutinous to sericeous indumentum; stem and branches tomentose with long and short white or rusty-brown hairs. Leaves arranged spirally, imparipinnate; stipules 10-22 x 3-3.5 mm, early caducous; rachis 5-25 cm long, 1.5-5 mm long including petiolule; leaflets in 5-14 pairs, narrowly elliptical to elliptical-oblanceolate, up to 7 x 2 cm, base acute to obtuse, apex rounded to emarginate, venation most distinct on lower surface, silky tomentose. Inflorescence a terminal or axillary pseudo-raceme, 8-26 cm long, rusty tomentose; basal bracts leaflike, peduncle stout, as long as pseudo-raceme; flower 18-26 mm long, fragrant when fresh, white, violet-purple or blue; pedicel up to 23 mm long; bracteoles sometimes present on calyx. Pod linear, slightly turgid, 5.5-14 x 0.8-1.8 cm. Brown or green, woolly to sericeous, 6-18 seeded. Seed ellipsoid to reniform, 5-7 x 3-5 mm, dark brown to black.

Abortifacient, bactericide, emetic, and purgative (plant); anthelmintic (weak infusion of leaves)

AgroForestryTree Database
PROSEA (Plant Resources of South-East Asia) Foundation

Deguelin, rotenone (seed); rotenoid, tephrosin (leaf)

Used as a cure for skin diseases, schistosomiasis, ringworm and parasitic infections (plant); in the treatment of scabies and yaws (leaf decoction); to treat constipation (root decoction).