Classification
Class
Magnoliopsida Brongn.
Order
Fabales Bromhead
Family
Leguminosae
Genus
Sophora L.
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Sophora prostrata Buchanan, Trans. & Proc. New Zealand Inst. 16: 395 (1883 [1884])
Synonymy:
  • ≡ Sophora tetraptera var. prostrata (Buchanan) Kirk, Forest. Fl. New Zealand 85 (1889)
  • ≡ Edwardsia prostrata (Buchanan) W.R.B.Oliv., Trans. New Zealand Inst. 53: 364 (1921)
Vernacular Name(s):
Prostrate kowhai; South Island kowhai
 Description

Prostrate to bushy shrub up to c. 2 m. tall, with densely divaricating branches, mature branchlets brown, glab. Lvs up to 2.5 cm. long, lflt-pairs up to 8, lflts c. 4 mm. long, oblong, glab. when mature except on midrib below, veins evident. Fls solitary, paired, or three together on slender silky-hairy peduncles, orange to brownish yellow, rarely bright yellow. Calyx appressed-hairy, c. 1 cm. long; standard up to 1·5 cm. long, slightly or distinctly shorter than wings; keel c. 2 cm. long. Pods up to 3–(5) cm. long, including beak, silky-hairy when young, up to 5-seeded, very narrowly winged. Seeds dark to reddish brown, c. 7 mm. long.

[From: Allan (1961) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 1.]

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Endemic)
 Bibliography
Buchanan, J. 1884 ("1883"): Notes on new Species of Plants. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 16: 394–396.
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Barkla J.W.; Courtney, S.P.; Champion, P.D.; Perrie, L.R.; Beadel, S.N.; Ford, K.A.; Breitwieser, I.; Schönberger, I.; Hindmarsh-Walls, R.; Heenan, P.B.; Ladley, K. 2018: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017. New Zealand Threat Classification Series. No. 22. [Not Threatened]
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Champion, P.D.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Norton, D.A.; Hitchmough, R.A. 2013: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 3. Department of Conservation, Wellington. [Not Threatened]
Kirk, T. 1889: The forest flora of New Zealand. Wellington, N.Z.
Oliver, W.R.B. 1921: Notes on Specimens of New Zealand Ferns and Flowering-plants in London Herbaria. Transactions of the New Zealand Institute 53: 362–365.