Vigorous straggling or trailing annual with weak angular and hairy stems bearing tendrils. Leaves with 7-10 pairs of leaflets covered with down. Inflorescence of purple flowers hanging more or less to one side of stem. Seed pods flat and hairy with 4 or 5 velvety black seeds.

Used as a cover crop and green manure or for fodder, hay and silage and now escaped from cultivation.

Latin: benghala = Benghal, India, Bangladesh; -ensis = country or place of origin.