Vandasina retusa (Benth.) Rauschert

A vine or twining shrub or climber. The leaves are compound and alternate. They have 3 leaflets. The leaf stalk is 4-14 cm long. The leaflets are 3-14 cm long by 3-13 cm wide. There are hairs underneath. The leaflets are large and blunt. The midrib usually projects as a short point. The group of flowers can be at the end or in the axils of leaves. The flowers are purple or pink with a green base on the standard. The flowers are in long clusters in the axils of leaves. They are pea shaped and 1.5 cm long. The fruit is a pod. It is brown or black and 6-9 cm long by 1.3-2.5 cm wide. The pods have velvet white hairs. There are 8-10 seeds and they are brown or black. The seeds are 7-8 mm long. There is a pale green aril at the base.

A tropical plant. It grows in rainforest and monsoon forest. It grows in coastal and inland areas in North Queensland in Australia. In tropical Queensland it grows from sea level to 300 m altitude.

The roots are roasted then pounded before being eaten.

Plants can be grown from seed. The seed can be put in hot water to break the seed coat before planting.