Climbing shrubs or herbs, young branches tomentose. Leaf pinnately trifoliolate, stipules deciduous; leaflets usually stipellate. Inflorescence racemose, fasciculate or subcorymbose. Flower purple, red or greenish yellow. Bracts caducous or small. Upper 2 teeth of calyx united, lower teeth longer. Vexillum shorter than the keel, auriculate at the base. Keel only slightly exceeding the wings, incurved, usually beaked. Stamens diadelphous, 9+1, the vexillary stamen free; alternate anthers longer. Ovary sessile, villous, ovules few, style thin, stigma terminal. Fruit usually clothed with stinging hairs, 2-valved, septate or filled between the seeds.