Description

Trees, shrubs or rarely perennial herbs. Leaves compound, imparipinnate. Stipels 0. Inflorescences composed of axillary or terminal, few-many-flowered racemes. Bracts present, often large; bracteoles usually 0. Calyx with 5 lobes, the upper two often fused. Petals yellow, white, blue or purple. Stamens free. Anthers dorsifixed. Pod beaded, constricted between the seeds, often winged, dehiscent.

The cultivated tree formerly known as Sophora japonica is now placed in a separate genus, Styphnolobium.