Botany
· Slender, twining, branched, annual vine that grows up to 9 m long.
· Leaves: alternate, from 5 to 10 cm long and compounded into pinnate arrangement. About 20 to 40 leaflets to each leaf; each leaflet oblong, rather thin, from 1 to 3 cm long and with an abrupt terminal point.
· Flowers: pink to purple or salmon in color, attaining 1 cm in length. Calyx teeth short and standard petal ovate, the wings narrow, and the keel arched. Only 9 stamens, the filaments of which united into a tube with a slit above. Ovary with many ovules with a short style. Inflorescence an axillary raceme, shorter than the leaves with numerous crowded flowers.
· Fruits: pods, oblong and turgid, 2.5 to 5 cm long and about 1.5 cm wide. Seeds 3-5 in a pod and round and shiny, half-red and half-black. Color of seeds the most recognizable characteristic of this species.

Distribution
Common in thickets throughout the Philippines, at low and medium altitudes.
Cultivation, propagated by seeds.

Parts used
Roots and seeds.
Harvest seeds from November to April. Harvest roots the whole year round.
Section roots into slices and sun-dry.

Characteristics and Pharmacological Effects:
Roots are sweet-tasting, neutral in effect, and antipyretic.
Seeds are exceedingly toxic (not to be taken internally).
Insecticide, disinfectant and suppurative.

Uses
· Swelling pains in the throat: 6-9 gms dried roots in decoction.
· Scabies and carbuncles: pulverized dried seeds are rubbed on afflicted area.
· The roots may be administered as a cooling tea.
· Others: Decorative, the seeds are gathered and strung into various fancy articles.

Note: Kansasaga beans are extremely toxic, containing various types of toxic albumins. Symptoms of poisoning include diarrhea, vomiting, debility, stoppage of urine, hallucinations, etc. Observe extreme care in administering.

Availability
Wild-crafted.