Common names include Indian jointvetch, kat sola,[2] budda pea, curly indigo, hard sola, northern jointvetch,[3] indische Schampflanze (German), angiquinho, maricazinho, papquinha, pinheirinho (Brazilian Portuguese),[4] he meng (Chinese), kusanemu (Japanese), diya siyambala (Sinhala), and ikin sihk (Pohnpeian).

[5] The true native range of this species is unclear because it is thought to have been introduced so widely, but it probably includes parts of Africa, Asia, Australia, and the southeastern North America.

It is an annual or perennial herb or subshrub growing 30 centimeters to 2.5 meters tall.

The inflorescence is made up of 1 to 6 flowers with reddish- or purple-streaked yellow or whitish corollas.

[3][5][7] The plant often grows in wet, muddy habitat, such as floodplains, swamps, and paddy fields.

[9] This species is susceptible to the plant disease anthracnose caused by the fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides.

[7] The seeds can poison pigs, causing loss of coordination, falls, and death.