Japanese name: ノササゲ（野豇豆、野大角豆） Scientific name:Dumasia truncata
[Overview]
A climbing perennial found at the edges and in the interior of coppice woodlands.
The stem twines to the left, is often tinged blackish purple, and grows to about 3 m.
The leaves are alternate and trifoliate; the terminal leaflet is ovate, 3–15 cm long and 2–6 cm wide.
The leaf texture is thin, and the underside has short appressed hairs.
The leaf margin is entire.
It has linear stipules and needle-like stipels.
Racemes 2–10 cm long arise from the leaf axils and bear pale yellow pea-like flowers.
The calyx lobes are inconspicuous, and because the abaxial (lower) side is longer, the calyx looks as if it has been cut off at an angle.
The fruit is a pod 4–5 cm long that ripens to a deep purple.
The seeds are blackish purple, but because they are covered with a white bloom they look lapis lazuli blue.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed.
It prefers well-drained soil in sun to partial shade.
