Taxonomy of New Zealand Native Legumes [Updated 19th
July 2008]
This page details the current taxonomy of the native
legumes present in New Zealand. Legumes are in the plant
group fabaceae (leguminosae).
Carmichaelia, Clianthus, and Montigena
are closely related in the subtribe 'Carmichaelinae' in the
astragalean clade of the Galegeae (sensu lato)
tribe, the astragalean clade also contains the common
Astragalus species. The New Zealand
Sophora (kowhai) belong to sector Edwardsia of
Sophora in the tribe Sophoreae.
Sophora (Kowhai)
Kowhai is a small tree native to New Zealand. There are
eight species, listed below. Kowhai trees grow throughout
the country and are a common feature in New Zealand
gardens.
Kowhai grow to around eight metres high and have fairly
smooth bark with small leaves. They flower from spring
through to early summer with large, bright, horn-shaped,
yellow flowers.
Kowhai is the Maori word for yellow, from the colour of
the flowers.
| Sophora chathamica |
(Costal kowhai) |
|
| Sophora fulvida |
(Waitakere kowhai) |
|
| Sophora godley |
(Godley's Kowhai, papa kowhai) |
|
| Sophora longicarinata |
|
|
| Sophora microphylla |
(Small-leaved kowhai)
|
|
| Sophora molloyi |
(Cook Straight kowhai)
|
|
| Sophora prostrata |
(Prostrate kowhai) |
|
| Sophora tetraptera |
(Large-leaved kowhai, Taupo kowhai) |
|
(From Heenan et al. 2001 | based on leaf
characters and growth habits)
Carmichaelia (New Zealand Broom)
Carmichaelia R.Br. (1825) was named after
Captain Dugald Carmichael, a Scottish army officer and
botanist who collected plants in New Zealand. (Allen and
Allen, 1981). The English vernacular name is 'New Zealand
broom', and in Maori is variably known as tawao, makaka,
maukoro, and tainoka (Parsons et al., 1998).
The taxonomic history of this genus is complex, and has
been confused by inadequate collections and intraspecific
variation (Heenan, 1995a). The formerly recognised genera
of Chordospartium, Corallospartium,
Notospartium, and Huttonella are now
included in Carmichaelia (Heenan, 1995c, 1998a,c).
In the most recent treatment (Heenan, 1995a, 1996), there
are 22 species of Carmichaelia native to New
Zealand. An additional species, C. exsul, is found
on Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea, 600 km east from
Australia.
The species exhibit remarkable diversity, from trees to
prostrate forms a few centimetres high.
Carmichaelia appressa
|
|
|
Carmichaelia arborea
|
|
(Swamp Broom) |
| Carmichaelia astonii |
|
|
| Carmichaelia australis |
|
|
| Carmichaelia carmichaeliae |
|
formerly Notospartium carmichaeliae |
| Carmichaelia compacta |
|
|
| Carmichaelia corrugata |
|
|
| Carmichaelia crassicaulis subsp.
racemosa |
|
formerly Corallospatium crassicaule
var. racemosum |
| Carmichaelia crassicaulis subsp.
crassicaulis |
|
formerly Corallospatium crassicaule |
| Carmichaelia curta |
|
|
| Carmichaelia glabrescens |
|
formerly Notospartium glabrescens |
| Carmichaelia hollowayi |
|
|
| Carmichaelia juncea |
|
|
| Carmichaelia kirkii |
|
|
| Carmichaelia monroi |
|
|
| Carmichaelia muritai |
|
formerly Chordospartium muritai |
| Carmichaelia nana |
|
|
| Carmichaelia odorata |
|
formerly Carmichaelia angustata |
| Carmichaelia petriei |
|
|
| Carmichaelia stevensonii |
|
formerly Chordospartium stevensonii |
| Carmichaelia torulosa |
|
formerly Notospartium torulosum |
| Carmichaelia uniflora |
|
|
| Carmichaelia vexillata |
|
|
Carmichaelia williamsii
|
|
|
Carmichaelia exsul
|
|
from Lord Howe Island (not NZ) |
(From Heenan 1998a; 1998b. And NZ Plant Names Database).
and (Heenan & Barkla 2007)
Clianthus (Kakabeak)
Clianthus Soland. ex Lindl. was named from the
Greek kleos `glory' and anthos `flower' (Allen and Allen
1981). The English vernacular name is `kakabeak' after its
distinctive flowers shaped like a native parrot's (kaka)
beak, it is known in Maori as `kowhai ngutukaka' (Shaw and
Burns 1997).
Once monotypic, in the most recent treatment (Heenan,
1995b, 2000), there are now two species (C.
maximus and C. puniceus) native to New
Zealand. It is found naturally only in isolated refuges in
the eastern North Island. Formerly some Australian and
Asian legumes were classified as Clianthus, these
are now known as Swainsona and Sarcodum
(Bisby et al., 2005).
| Clianthus puniceus |
|
| Clianthus maximus |
|
Montigena (Scree pea)
Montigena (Hook.f.) Heenan, is named from
`mountain-born' referring to its habitat. (Heenan 1998d).
The English vernacular name is `scree pea'.
Montigena novae-zelandiae is the only species
in the Montigena genus. Until 1998 it was known as
Swainsona novae-zelandiae until Heenan 1998d
reclassified it based on morphological features. There are
still currently 55 Swainsona species, mostly in
Australia (ILDIS).
Montigena has a distinctly different ITS
sequence from other New Zealand legumes, but forms a clade
with the Australian Swainsona (Wagstaff, 1999).
Montigena is endemic to the dry eastern
mountains of the South Island of New Zealand, where it
grows on partially stable scree slopes.
| Montigena novae-zelandiae |
References
Heenan P.B, de Lange P.J, Wilton A.D.
(2001) "Sophora (Fabaceae) in New Zealand:
taxonomy, distrubution and biogeography." New Zealand
Journal of Botany. 39: 17-53
Landcare Research Herbarium (CHR).
(2001) New Zealand Plant Names Database. Available
http://nzflora.landcareresearch.co.nz
Heenan P.B. (2000) "Clianthus
(Fabaceae) in New Zealand: a reappraisal of Colenso's
taxonomy." New Zealand Journal of Botany. 38: 361-371
International Legume Database & Information
Service (ILDIS). (2000) Legume Web. Available
http://www.ildis.org/
Heenan P.B. (1998a) "Phylogenetic
anaylsis of the Carmichaelia complex, Clianthus, and
Swainsona (Fabaceae), from Australia and New Zealand." New
Zealand Journal of Botany. 36: 21-40
Heenan P.B. (1998b) "An emended
circumscription of Carmichaelia, with new combinations, a
key, and notes on hybrids."New Zealand Journal of Botany.
36: 53-63
