SOPHORA 521 



shaped, shallow-toothed, covered with down like that of the leaves. Pod 

 downy, 4 ins. or more long, in. thick where the seeds are enclosed, but 

 much constricted between them ; not winged, but thickened at the seams. 



Native of Chile; introduced in 1822. This species is nearly allied to, and 

 very much resembles the larger-leaved forms of S. tetraptera. It always 

 differs from them, however, in having no wings to the pods, the flowers are 

 not so large, and the leaves are pretty uniformly of the dimensions give a 

 above. It is not hardy at Kew, but thrives very well in S. Devon, Cornwall, 

 and similar places. There is a fine plant in the garden of Duncan House, 

 Torquay, planted there by the late Dr Hamilton-Ramsay. 



S. TETRAPTERA, Alton. KOWHAI. 



A shrub or small tree, varying from 15 to 40 ft. high in a wild state, the 

 trunk 6 ins. to 2 ft. in diameter. It is deciduous or nearly so in the open, 

 but evergreen in a greenhouse. Branches of young specimens very zigzag, 

 slender, and often interlacing on older ones the branches become short- 

 jointed, or even stunted. Branchlets, leaf-stalks, flower-stalks, and especially 

 the calyx, all covered with a short tawny down. Leaves pinnate, i^ to 4^- ins. 

 long ; leaflets ^ to f in. long, narrow oblong to roundish ; their number is 

 very variable, on young plants there are only seven or nine, but on plants 

 that have reached the flowering stage they are much more numerous, and 

 up to as many as eighty. Flowers somewhat tubular, golden yellow, I to 

 2 ins. long, pendulous, clustered from four to eight in each raceme. Calyx 

 obliquely bell-shaped, J in. or more across, shallow-toothed. Pod 2 to 8 

 ins. long, four-winged, with constrictions between the seeds. 



Var. GRANDIFLORA (Edwardsia grandiflora, Salisbury} has larger flowers 

 than the type (full 2 ins. long), and longer, less numerous leaflets. 



Var. MICROPHYLLA, Hooker fit. (Edwardsia microphylla, Salisbury; 

 E. Macnabiana, R. Graham, Bot. Mag., t. 3735). Leaflets smaller, more 

 numerous; flowers I to i^ ins. long. 



Native of New Zealand, whence the two forms were both introduced in 

 1772; also of Chile. They are not hardy at Kew; even var. microphylla, 

 which is considered the less tender, was killed in the open ground during 

 the winter of 1908-9, and plants on walls were badly cut. But in the milder 

 counties or on specially sheltered walls it is most attractive, not only for its 

 showy large flowers, but for its foliage and quaint interesting habit. It will 

 thrive in sandy loam. The remarkable necklace-like pod, with four thin 

 ridges traversing it lengthwise, is occasionally seen in this country. 



S. VICIIFOLIA, Hance. 

 (Bot. Mag., t. 7883.) 



A deciduous shrub of rounded habit, from 6 to 8 ft. high, and as much 

 through, the young branchlets covered with greyish down, the year-old 

 branches more or less spiny. Leaves pinnate, \\ to 2^ ins. long, with seven 

 to ten pairs of leaflets, which are i to f in. long, about \ in. wide; oval or 

 oblong, with silky appressed hairs beneath. Racemes terminal on short 

 twigs, produced from the buds of the previous year's shoots, 2 to 2^- ins. long. 

 Flowers pea-flower-shaped ; petals bluish white ; calyx in. long, downy, 

 short-toothed, blue. Pod 2 to i\ ins. long, about \ in. wide, downy, one- to 

 four-seeded, constricted between the seeds. 



Native of China in the provinces of Yunnan, Szechuen, and Hupeh, up to 

 13,500 ft. It was introduced in 1897 to Kew, where it has grown well, and 

 proved to be one of the most charming of recently introduced shrubs, the 

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