Climbers, summer annual. Stems 0.5-2(-4?) m, branched, angular, very thin, with a tiny taproot. Petiole 8-15(-20) mm (in lower leaves to 5 cm), thin; leaf blade glaucous abaxially, green adaxially, oblong-ovate in outline, 2-5 cm (tendril excepted), with 3 alternate often reflexed stalked pinnae; rachis terminating in a long thin branched cirrose tendril; primary leaflets once or twice ternate; ultimate leaflets ovate to lanceolate, 3-30 × 2-13 mm, base broadly cuneate, margin entire, apex acute or obtuse, with a small ± curved mucro. Inflorescence 1-3-flowered; peduncle 5-20 mm (rarely more) in fruiting stage; bracts linear-lanceolate, 2-8 × 0.5-1 mm, irregularly lacerate. Pedicel 5-10 mm, apically thickened and ± papillose-scabrid along ridges in fruit. Sepals 4-6 × ca. 1 mm, with broader deeply dentate base and narrowly oblong to linear apical part. Corolla pale yellow, oblong, 12-16 × 4-4.5(-5) mm, slightly broader at base; outer petals slightly saccate at base; sinus between basal pouches (i.e., where pedicel is inserted) to 1 mm; apices of outer petals only slightly diverging, bullate, mucronate; blade of inner petals ca. 1/4 as long as petal, with dorsal crest prolonged beyond apex proper 1-1.5 mm; nectary sigmoidally curved, tapering to a fine short tip. Stigma squarish, 2 apical corners with small stigmatic papillae, basal papillae conspicuous, hornlike reflexed-prolonged. Capsule green, linear-oblong, 3-6 cm × 2-3 mm, not constricted between seeds, with thin flat valves that leave a persistent replum behind upon falling, 10-27-seeded. Seeds black, dull, rounded-reniform in outline, 1.7-2 mm, densely echinulate, with small rounded elaiosome. Self-compatible. Fl. Apr-Oct, fr. Jul-Jan. 2n = 16.
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