Merr., a member of the Papilionoideae sub-family of the Leguminosae is known under many aliases. The most important synonym is F. congesta and the genus also has been called Moghania. Flemingia is a woody, leguminous, deep rooting, shrub, up to 2.5 m in height. Leaves are trifoliate. Leaflets are papery, with a glabrous upper surface.
Flowers are in dense racemes with greenish standards with red blotches or stripes.
Pods are small and turn brown when ripening, dehiscent, generally with two shiny black seeds in the vessel. F. macrophylla can be found from sea level up to 2000 m. Flemingia is a hardy plant that can resist long dry spells, and it is capable of surviving on very poorly drained and occasionally water-logged soils. The species is naturally found growing along watercourses in secondary forest and on both clay and lateritic soils. The plant is tolerant of light shade and is moderately able to survive fires.