Sorbaria tomentosa (Lindl.) Rehder

Spreading and suckering shrub up to 4–(6) m high, often forming thickets; stems ± erect; secondary branches ± spreading or curving downwards; young stems green, shiny. Lvs oblong, with up to 10 pairs of leaflets; petiole (20)–30–70–(90) mm long, yellowish green, glabrous or glabrate, sometimes puberulent; middle leaflets sessile, narrow-lanceolate to lanceolate, 60–110 × 13–30 mm, acuminate, rounded at base, glabrous or with scattered hairs, pale green and with veins strongly impressed on upper surface giving an almost rugose appearance, with fine hairs chiefly along veins on lower surface; margins 2-serrate with sharply acute teeth; stipules small, linear. Infl. loose, ± drooping to pendulous, 20–35–(50) cm long; main branches densely hairy, sometimes with stalked glands; pedicels glabrous. Sepals broadly triangular-ovate with rounded apex, 0.7–1 mm long, glabrous, brown. Petals 1.5–2.5 mm diam., orbicular, blunt, ± white, sometimes pale pink-flushed. Fr. 2.5–3 mm long, brown, borne on recurved peduncles.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Dec.–Jan.