genus
Kōwhai
Sophora
Field notes
Sophora is a genus of about 45 species of small trees and shrubs in the pea family Fabaceae. The species have a pantropical distribution. The generic name is derived from sophera, an Arabic name for a pea-flowered tree.
The genus formerly had a broader interpretation including many other species now treated in other genera, notably Styphnolobium (pagoda tree genus), which differs in lacking nitrogen fixing bacteria (rhizobia) on the roots, and Dermatophyllum (the mescalbeans). Styphnolobium has galactomannans as seed polysaccharide reserve, in contrast Sophora contains arabinogalactans, and Dermatophyllum amylose.
The New Zealand Sophora species are known as kōwhai.
The seeds of species such as Sophora affinis and Sophora chrysophylla are reported to be poisonous.
Read more on WikipediaChildren
- Necklace Pod native
- Small-leaved Kowhai
- Māmane native
- Sophora macrocarpa
- Coastal Kowhai
- Prostrate Kowhai
- Silky Sophora native
- Large-leaved Kowhai
- Pelu
- Cook Strait Kowhai
- Shrubby Sophora
- Fringeleaf Necklacepod native
- Sophora davidii
- Western Necklace-pod native
- Lord Howe Kowhai
- Toromiro
- Zimbabwe Bean Bush
Range
Greener is more native, amber more introduced; paler is less certain. How this was decided
Key traits
- Layer
- Trees
- Plant type
- Perennial Shrub Tree Wildflower
From USDA PLANTS.
Top native kōwhai All
Native to the US, ranked by caterpillars, then bees and other hosts, food, flowers and shelter.
