An erect annual herb, 15 to 60 cm tall. Leaves paripinnate; rachis bearing a linear gland between leaflets. Petioles 2 to 2.5 cm long; stipules linear attenuate, 2.5 to 4 mm long, persistent. Flowers yellow or reddish yellow, borne in few flowered racemes; calyx hairy, 4 mm long, petals 6 mm long, obovate-cuneate, reddish-yellow. Fruit pod, compressed, thin, linear oblong 2.5 to 4.5 cm long. Seeds 5 to 8 per pod, dark brown.

Reduces blood pressure and induces muscles to relax slightly (seed); diuretic and stimulant (seed receptacle).

Sitosterol-beta-D-glucoside, iso-chaksine and chaksine (seed); rhein (hydrolysis of pod)

For conjunctivitis and skin diseases (leaf and seed); found efficacious in cases of ringworm, and form one of the ingredients of aphrodisiacs (seeds).

Chandel et al., Biodiversity in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in India.