Citation: Lour., Fl. Cochinch. 2:460 (1790).

Derivation: From Greek rhynkhos, snout; alluding on the shape of the keel in some species.

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: Rhynchosias.

Description:
Climbing, prostrate or sometimes erect herbs or subshrubs; leaves 1-foliolate or pinnately 3-foliolate; leaflets with usually very conspicuous resinous gland-dots beneath; stipules present; stipels very small.

Inflorescence axillary or terminal, racemose or paniculate, the flowers rarely solitary; bracts present, bracteoles absent; calyx 5-lobed, teeth unequal, the upper 2 more or less joined; petals frequently yellow lined with brownish-purple; standard with small auricles, glabrous or hairy; 9 stamens united in a sheath, upper stamen free; ovary rarely 1- or commonly 2-ovuled, often velvety; style mostly long, tenuous and mostly hairy beneath, incurved, glabrous above; stigma small, terminal.

Pods almost circular to narrowly oblong, compressed, frequently glandular and velvety; seeds compressed-globose or subreniform, reddish-brown, black, rarely blue; hilum rounded to elongate, lateral, short; rim-aril obsolete (in S.Aust.) or well developed.

Distribution:  About 200 species occurring throughout the tropics and subtropics of the Old and New World; with 6 (or more) species in Australia, especially in the north.

Biology: No text

Taxonomic notes: See R. D. Meikle (1958) Fl. W. Trop. Afr. edn 2, 1:553-555; B. Verdcourt (1971) Fl. Trop. E. Afr. 4, 2:711-761; J. W. Green (1978) Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 31:1 for treatments of this species in other parts of the world.

Author: Not yet available