A rather coarse, climbing hairy, annual, herbaceous vine reaching a length of at least 8 meters. Leaflets are entire or slightly repand, ovate, 10 to 20 centimeters long, with the upper surface smooth or nearly so and the lower one rather densely covered with soft, grayish hairs. Flowers, which are about 2 centimeters long are borne on axillary racemes 15 to 30 centimeters long; calyx is hairy; corolla is rather bright purple, with the standard 2 centimeter broad and marked with a rather large yellow spot near the base. Pods are 5 to 8 centimeters long, about 1 centimeters wide, and covered with spreading, brown hair.

Antifebrile, antiemetic, and counterpoisonous (plant); styptic (leaves); emetic (roots); diaphoretic and febrifuge (flowers).

Bureau of Plant Industry

Glumatic acid, adenine, asparagin, butyric acid (leaves)

The plant is used for relieving thirst and prescribed for colds, fever, influenza, dysentery, snake and insects bites, and to counteract the effects of Croton oil and other poisonous drugs and externally applied to dogs bites. The seeds are prescribed for adults in cases of dysentery and alcoholic excess. The flower is also used for in alcoholic excess. The leaves are applied to wounds as a styptic. The shoots are used for insufficient secretion of milk, as an application on inherent boils, and for aphthous sore mouth in children. Every part of the plant is also used in the treatment of skin rashes.