Lessertia frutescens is a southern African legume in the family Fabaceae. It is also known as cancer bush, balloon pea, Cape bladder pea, sutherlandia; and phetola in seTswana, and insiswa in isiZulu. It is a shrub with bitter, aromatic leaves, with red-orange flowers appearing in spring to mid-summer. These are followed by inflated, air-filled pods containing the seeds.