Species

Sophora prostrata

Etymology

Sophora: after the Arabic name for a similar tree
prostrata: prostrate

Common Name(s)

Kowhai, prostrate kowhai

Current Conservation Status

2012 - Not Threatened

Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2012 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2009 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, Paul D. Champion, Shannel P. Courtney, Peter B. Heenan, John W. Barkla, Ewen K. Cameron, David A. Norton and Rodney A. Hitchmough. File size: 792KB

Previous Conservation Status

2009 - Not Threatened
2004 - Not Threatened

Authority

Sophora prostrata Buchanan

Family

Fabaceae

Brief Description

A small dense kowhai tree to 2m tall with zig-zagging branches bearing leaves to 25mm long that have leaflets 4mm long and with drooping orange-yellow flowers and dry ridged and knobbly pointed seed pods to 5cm long containing hard brown seeds. Juveniles and adults similar. Inhabiting the eastern South Island.

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

NVS Species Code

SOPPRO

The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Trees & Shrubs

Synonyms

Sophora tetraptera var. prostrata (Buchanan) Kirk; Edwardsia prostrata (Buchanan) W.R.B.Oliv.; Sophora microphylla subsp. microphylla var. prostrata (Buchanan) Yakovlev

Distribution

Endemic. Confined to the eastern South Island from Marlborough to the Waitaki Valley

Flower Colours

Orange,Yellow

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 18

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

References and further reading

Anonymous. 1944. Kowhai. Wellington Botanical Society Bulletin, 9: 4-5

This page last updated on 6 Dec 2014