The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Been teaching myself to spot the different kowhai species. I think this is kowhai microphylla right?

Hi Andre - to help me please send an image of the growth habit (i.e show whether its a tree or a shrub) - as it stands your image could be S. microphylla or S. molloyi or even (possibly) a hybrid involving one of the Chilean species. For Sophora if you want good identifications from images you need to show growth habit, foliage, and if you can flowers, and describe the hair distribution and morphology on the leaflets.

Ciao Peter

as requested full tree view. I can't see any divaricating.

clearly some of the leaflets overlap but some do not. the size of the leaves don't look like the SOPHORA TETRAPTERA I am used to. However the leaves are not as small as many sophora microphylla. there is a line of four of them planted in a streamside setting. another photo attached....

Thanks - well it has Sophora microphylla in it - but the apparent absence of a filiramulate ('divaricating') juvenile growth habit and the leaflet shape suggest a hybrid of some sort. That's the best I can do on what I can see in your images. If you want another opinion talk to Dr Peter Heenan - [email protected]