Annual or perennial herb, mostly climbing by tendrils. Leaf mostly paripinnate, rachis ending in a tendril or bristle, rarely leaf imparipinnate. Leaflets mostly numerous, rarely 2-6, entire or toothed; stipules semisagittate, often toothed, stipels absent. Inflorescence axillary raceme or flowers solitary or few in leaf axil. Bracts small or deciduous, bracteoles absent. Calyx tube often oblique and asymmetrical, teeth subequal. Vexillum obovate or oblong, emarginate, tapering into a claw. Stamens monadelphous or diadelphous, 9+1, anthers uniform. Ovary subsessile or stipitate, 2-many ovuled, style terete or compressed, pubescent or pilose all round or on the lower side only or with apical tuft of hairs, rarely glabrous, stigma terminal. Fruit oblong to linear, compressed, 2-valved. Seed mostly globose, funicle dilated into a thin aril.