Phil Bendle Collection:Sophora molloyi (Cook Strait Kowhai)

Kingdom: Plantae
(Unranked): Angiosperms
(Unranked): Eudicots
(Unranked): Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Tribe: Sophoreae
Genus: Sophora
Species: S. molloyi
Binomial name: Sophora molloyi
Common name: Cook Strait Kowhai, Molloy's Kowhai,  Sophora. ‘Dragon’s Gold’, Kowhai

Sophora molloyi is a bushy spreading to decumbent kowhai that is usually wider than high (3m) and is endemic to New Zealand. Specimens growing at Otari Wilton Reserve have reached 6m. It grows in the North Island and South Island near Cook Strait and on some Cook Strait Islands. Its habitat is in coastal scrub on exposed maritime sites. Unlike another kowhai, S. molloyi retains its leaves all year round... It has historically been sold as Sophora. ‘Dragon’s Gold’.
Its yellow flowers are small than other Sophora species at 3cm and appear from April to October.

http://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora_details.aspx?ID=687  

This tree is double the usual size of specimens growing in their natural habitat.which are unusually only head height.
This tree is at Otari-Wilton Reserve, Wellington.
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A young tree.
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Historically it has been sold as S. ‘Dragon’s Gold’  
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The underside of the leaves.
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The branches of Sophora molloyi which start near the ground.
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Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ 

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