Sophora (Fabaceae) in New Zealand: taxonomy, distribution, and biogeography

A taxonomic treatment is provided for the Sophora microphylla complex in Ne w Zealand. Sophora microphylla sens. str. is endemic to New Zealand, and in cludes those plants with a distinct divaricating and/or strongly flexuose j uvenile phase, orange-brown to yellow-brown juvenile stems, and distant lea flets. S. chathamica is reinstated at species rank, S. fulvida is a new com bination provided for the taxon previously known as S, microphylla var. ful vida, and S. godleyi and S. molloyi are described as new species. S. chatha mica, S. fulvida, S. godleyi, and S. molloyi lack a divaricating and/or str ongly flexuose juvenile phase and are each distinguished by a number of lea f characters. S. fulvida and S. godleyi have distinctive leaf hairs. S. cha thamica is a predominantly coastal species in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Wellington, and the Chatham Islands, S. fulvida occurs in Northland and No rth Auckland on volcanic rock outcrops, S. godleyi occurs on calcareous mud stone and sandstone in eastern Taranaki, King Country, Wanganui, and Manawa tu, and S. molloyi is restricted to extremely dry and exposed bluffs and ro ck outcrops of southern North Island headlands, Kapiti Island, and several islands in Cook Strait. Cluster analyses of 11 leaf and 4 growth habit characters provide additiona l support for the revised classification, and variation in 7 leaf character s is evaluated with box plots. A key is provided to Sophora in New Zealand, hybridism is discussed, an assessment of each species' conservation status is made, and biogeography is reconsidered in view of the new taxonomic tre atment.