Twining perennial herb, slightly hairy at first. Leaves alternate, of 3 pinnately arranged leaflets; stipules and stipels present. Flowers axillary. Stamens 10, 9 united, 1 free. Flowers with standard longer than wings and keel, pinkish purple, rarely white; mostly spring to early summer. Style bearded near the tip. Fruit pod cylindrical, tapered to the ends. Syn. Dolichos lignosus L.

Widely cultivated in the tropics and subtropics but will also grow well in Melbourne; naturalised in SA, Qld, NSW and Vic.

S Africa.

Source: Spencer, R. (2002). Fabaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 3. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 2. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.