''Sophora chathamica'', the coastal kōwhai, sometimes known as Chatham Island kōwhai, is one of 8 species of native
sophora
''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 formerl ...
or
kōwhai
Kōwhai ( or ) are small woody legume trees within the genus ''Sophora'' in the family Fabaceae that are native to New Zealand. There are eight species, with ''Sophora microphylla'' and '' S. tetraptera'' being the most recognised as large trees. ...
in New Zealand and grows naturally in the north-west of the
North Island in
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
, as far south as the Tongaporutu River in north
Taranaki
Taranaki is a region in the west of New Zealand's North Island. It is named after its main geographical feature, the stratovolcano of Mount Taranaki, also known as Mount Egmont.
The main centre is the city of New Plymouth. The New Plymouth D ...
, and as far north as Te Paki.
It can also be found growing near
Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by metr ...
and the
Chatham Islands
The Chatham Islands ( ) (Moriori: ''Rēkohu'', 'Misty Sun'; mi, Wharekauri) are an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean about east of New Zealand's South Island. They are administered as part of New Zealand. The archipelago consists of about te ...
, although these later plantings are thought to be a result of Māori plantings in the late 18th century and early 19th century.
Prior to 2001, it was included as variant of ''
Sophora microphylla'', therefore references to either ''Sophora microphylla var. chathamica'' or ''Sophora microphylla subsp. microphylla var. chathamica'' are considered references to coastal kowhai.
Description
Coastal kōwhai forms a small tree up to 6 metres tall and 4 metres wide. It generally flowers from August until November.
Flowers are yellow and around 3 cm long. Unlike many kōwhai species, coastal kōwhai lacks the
divaricating
Divaricate means branching, or having separation or a degree of separation. The angle between branches is wide.
In botany
In botany, the term is often used to describe the branching pattern of plants. Plants are said to be divaricating when the ...
juvenile stage when grown from seed.
Conservation
As assessed by the New Zealand Threat Classification System, ''S. chathamica'' is not considered threatened.
Cultivation
Coastal kōwhai is available from nurseries throughout New Zealand. There are also several
cultivars available, including:
* The cultivar ''Milligold'' was selected by
Duncan & Davies
Duncan may refer to:
People
* Duncan (given name), various people
* Duncan (surname), various people
* Clan Duncan
* Justice Duncan (disambiguation)
Places
* Duncan Creek (disambiguation)
* Duncan River (disambiguation)
* Duncan Lake (dis ...
nursery for the new millennium (as ''Sophora microphylla'' var. ''chathamica'', the classification in use at the time). It forms a small, compact tree with weeping branches and is sometimes listed as an evergreen.
See also
*
Kōwhai
Kōwhai ( or ) are small woody legume trees within the genus ''Sophora'' in the family Fabaceae that are native to New Zealand. There are eight species, with ''Sophora microphylla'' and '' S. tetraptera'' being the most recognised as large trees. ...
References
chathamica
Trees of New Zealand
{{Sophoreae-stub