Erect or climbing annual herb. Leaflets to 10 cm long and 5 cm wide, ovate to orbicular, long-pointed. Flowers of 5-6 flowers, white, pink or purple, the tip of the keel spiralling twice. Fruit pod variable but more or less cylindrical.

There are at least 40 cultivars available and about 5 of these are used for commercial production; 9 cultivars had been granted PBR status in Australia to 1999.

Tropical America.

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.