It is an ornamental, twining, woody vine which grows to a height of 10,20 ft when supported by other plants. Leaves are alternate, compound, feather-like. The flowers are numerous and appear in the leaf axils along the stems.

The flowers are also small and occur in clusters 1,3 inches long, usually red to purple, or occasionally white. The fruit is a legume about 3 cm long containing hard ovoid seeds. The leaves and roots of this plant are used in South Africa to cure tuberculosis, bronchitis, whooping cough, chest complaints, and asthma. The seeds are also antiperiodic, bitter, aphrodisiac, diaphoretic, emetic, expectorant and purgative. They have played an important role in the treatment of conjunctivitis in various parts of the world The roots have been used to treat digestive disorde