Vigna schimperi Baker

Twining perennial herb, ± 2 m. long from a large fibrous or woody root-stock.. Stems velvety with dense adpressed ferruginous hairs, becoming glabrescent.. Leaflets 3, narrowly ovate-oblong to ovate-lanceolate, less often ovate or ovate-elliptic, (1·2–)3–7 cm. long, (0·6–)1·3–4·8 cm. wide, acute and mucronulate at the apex, ± rounded at the base, sometimes with a slight trace of hastation, sparsely to densely softly pubescent on both surfaces; petiole 1·2–5 cm. long; rhachis 4–12 mm. long; petiolules 2 mm. long; stipules triangular-lanceolate, 3–5 mm. long, usually slightly bilobed at the base but not prolonged in the type.. Inflorescence subumbellate; rhachis obsolete or up to 1·3 cm. long; peduncle 3–18 cm. long; pedicels 2–7 mm. long; bracteoles deciduous, lanceolate or ovate, 1·5–3·5 mm. long, ± bilobed at the base.. Calyx finely adpressed pubescent; tube 3–6 mm. long; lateral lobes ovate or deltoid, 2–3 mm. long; lowest lobe lanceolate, 2·5–5 mm. long; upper pair joined to form an acute or bifid lip.. Standard orange-yellow inside, greenish-yellow outside with brownish tinge or sometimes with small purple marks, obovate, 1·8–2·5 cm. long, 1·6–2·6 cm. wide, emarginate, glabrous.. Pods held erect, cylindrical, 4–9·5 cm. long, 3·5–4 mm. wide, velvety with closely adpressed ferruginous hairs, ± 16-seeded; beak narrow and curved.. Seeds reddish-brown mottled with black, oblong-ellipsoidal, longest dimension 3·3 mm., shorter dimension 2·5 mm., 2 mm. thick; hilum oblong, 1 mm. long; rim-aril not developed or only slightly developed.

It is a tropical plant. It grows in dry areas. It grows between 1,350-2,800 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places.

The leaves are eaten as a green vegetable. The root tubers are eaten as a vegetable. They are also eaten raw.