Lens phaseoloides Linnaeus, Herb. Amboin. 18. 1754; En­tada koshunensis Hayata & Kanehira; E. scandens (Linnaeus) Bentham; Mimosa scandens Linnaeus.

Climbers, evergreen, large, woody. Stems often spirally twisted. Branches glabrous. Leaves 10-25 cm; petiole short; pinnae usually 2 pairs; leaflets 1 or 2 pairs, apical pair of pinnae transformed into a tendril, elliptic or narrowly obovate, 3-9 × 1.5-4.5 cm, leathery, base slightly oblique, apex obtuse, emar­ginate. Spikes 15-25 cm, solitary or arranged in a panicle, vil­lous; bracts pubescent. Flowers slightly fragrant. Calyx cam­panulate, ca. 2 mm, 5-toothed. Petals 5, green with reddish base, oblong, ca. 4 mm, glabrous, slightly united at base, apex acute. Stamens white, slightly longer than corolla. Ovary glabrous; style filiform. Legume curved, flat, to 1 m × 8-12 cm, with a parchmentlike endocarp. Seeds dark brown, orbicular, flat, 4-6 cm in diam.; testa brown, brilliant, woody. Fl. Mar-Jun, fr. Aug-Nov. 2n = 28.

This plant is poisonous; it is used medicinally.

Forests; 200-1300 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Tai­wan, Xizang, Yunnan [tropical and subtropical Asia; tropical Australia].