[3] E. vespertilio is found on all mainland states except Victoria, mainly in open woodlands but extends to arid areas and rainforest margins.

[5] It grows in a wide range of soils as long as drainage is good and it has a position in full sun.

[3] The species was first formally described by the botanist George Bentham in 1848 as part of Thomas Mitchell's work Journal of an Expedition into the Interior of Tropical Australia.

[6] There are two known subspecies: It was widely traditionally used by Aboriginal Australians in Central Australia for making woomeras and coolamons.

Phaseollidin (a flavonoid) showed cytotoxic activities in vitro against prostate cancer cell lines at high doses.