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Leaves 10–15 cm long; petiolules c.2 mm long; leaflets 6–9(10) on each side of the rachis, 1–3.5 × 0.6–1.8 cm, elliptic or oblong-elliptic or subspathulate, rounded or subtruncate and often emarginate at the apex, obtuse at the base, sparsely appressed-pubescent on lower surface; lateral nerves in 4–6 pairs, scarcely visible on both surfaces; stipules 5–8 mm long, oblong, caducous.
Standard 5.5 × 4 mm, oblong, retuse at the apex, sparsely pubescent on the back at the basal angle, with claw 1.5–2 mm long; wings as long as the standard, with auricle obtuse and claw c.3 mm long; keel petals shorter than the wings, free, overlapping near the apex, with claw c.3.5 mm long.
Inflorescence a terminal and occasionally also axillary panicle 4–8 cm long, fulvous-pubescent or shortly tomentose, usually sparsely interspersed with glandular-verrucose or fusiform plumose hairs; bracts and bracteoles 1.5–3 mm long, broadly ovate, puberulous, often present at anthesis.
Pod flat, 1–4-seeded, 4–12 × 1.8–2.5 cm, thin and stiff, thickened-umbonate, reticulate and blackish over the seeds, rounded or obtuse or acute at the apex, cuneate to narrowed at the base; stipe 6–9 mm long.
Lower part of stems with clusters of sharp woody spines, the middle spines longest, up to 7.5 cm long; side branches often becoming hooked or coiling and woody, tendril-like toward the apex.
Calyx 3.5–4 mm long, pubescent, occasionally with some glandular-fusiform hairs; upper teeth shallow and rounded, the lateral ones c.1 mm long, obtuse, the lower one 2 mm long, subulate.
Robust spiny climber or liane to 12 m high reaching the canopy, or scrambling shrub with long arching branches, briefly deciduous.
Branchlets, often fulvous-pubescent when young, glabrescent; cortex reddish, lenticellate; lenticels greyish, oblong.
Ovary 3–5-ovulate, pilose on the midrib and suture; style very short; stipe 3 mm long.
Flowers white or yellowish, 7–8 mm long; pedicels 1.5–4 mm long.
Stamens usually in 2 bundles of 5, rarely in a single bundle.
Seeds 8–10 × 5–6 mm; testa reddish, smooth.
