Tephrosia  

Annual or perennial herbs, shrublets or shrubs. Leaves often imparipinnate, sometimes simple or 1-3-foliolate, stipulate; leaflets exstipellate, with closely parallel lateral nerves and soft hairs beneath, entire. Flowers in oppositifolius or axillary, lax racemes in upper parts of shoots or in axillary clusters of 1-3, bracteate, bracteoles absent. Calyx campanulate, subequally 5-toothed, with upper 2 teeth mostly ± connate. Corolla red, purple or white with clawed petals; vexillum ± orbicular, externally soft hairy or tomentose; wings obliquely obovate or oblong, adherent to upcurved keel. Stamens ultimately diadelphous, anthers dimorphic. Ovary sessile, usually multi- ovulate, style incurved or inflexed, often flattened, glabrous or bearded, stigma terminal, often penicillate. Pods linear, occassionally ovate or oblong, aseptate or thinly so within, dehiscing explosively along both valves. Seeds 1-many, compressed.