Annual, rarely perennating, herbs. Leaves 3-7-foliolate. Racemes many-flowered, terminal, with foliaceous bracts. Flowers and fruits as in Cleome except the long androphore; androphore as long as the petals or the gynophore, with about 10 verticillate stamens attached at its apex, almost Midway on the gynan-drophore.

Very closely allied to Cleome L. and distinguished by its long androphore only. Following original treatment of Linnaeus of this taxon, Iltis (in Brittonia, 12:283-290.1960) placing it under Cleome admitted that the species C. gynandra L. occupied a very isolated place within the genus, and no near relatives were known.