It is native to southern Europe, North Africa, and nearby islands, and it is utilized elsewhere in agriculture and may be present in the wild as an introduced species.

It is an annual herb with a climbing stem which is coated in hairs, often densely, making the plant appear silvery white.

The fruit is a flat, hairy legume pod up to 3.5 centimeters long containing multiple seeds.

This plant is used as a cover crop and green manure for the purposes of soil improvement and weed and pest control.

[4] Purple vetch seeds and forage have been reported to cause poisoning in humans and in livestock, so caution is required when feeding them.