Japan Flora: Erect to ascending herb, often woody at base, 60-180 cm. high; stipules subulate, 3>nerved at base, the leaflets membranous to  herbaceous, elliptic, 1.5-4 cm. long, 1-25 cm. wide, sparsely pubescent above only while young, loosely appressed-pilose to glabrate beneath, the hairs 05-0.7 mm. long; racemes longer to shorter than the leaves; flowers rose-purple, 12-17 mm. long, the bracts and bracteoles narrowly ovate, minute; legumes nearly orbicular, 5-7 mm. long and as wide, loosely white appressed-pilose. July-Sept. Grassy places and thick­ets in lowlands and in mountains.

Hokkaido, Honshu, Shi­koku, Kyushu; common and variable. Korea, Ussuri, Man­churia. and n. China.

f. acutifolia Matsum.  With thicker, mostly acute leaflets and scattered shorter hairs be­neath, about 0.3 mm. long.Very common in our area and freely passing into the typical phase.

f. alba (Bean) Ohwi. Flowers white.