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 formerly had a broader interpretation including many other species now treated in other genera, notably Styphnolobium (pagoda tree genus), which differs in lacking nitrogen fixing bacteria (rhizobia) on the roots, and Dermatophyllum (the mescalbeans). Styphnolobium has galactomannans as seed polysaccharide reserve, in contrast Sophora contains arabinogalactans, and Dermatophyllum amylose.

The New Zealand Sophora species are known as kōwhai.

The seeds of species such as Sophora affinis and Sophora chrysophylla are reported to be poisonous.

Fossil record
One Sophora fossil seed pod from the middle Eocene epoch has been described from the Miller clay pit in Henry County, Tennessee, United States.

Species
Sophora comprises the following species:


 * Sophora albescens (Rehder) C.Y. Ma
 * Sophora albopetiolulata Léonard
 * Sophora alopecuroides L.—sophora root
 * var. alopecuroides
 * var. tomentosa (Boiss.) Bornm.
 * Sophora bakeri Prain
 * Sophora benthamii Steenis
 * Sophora brachygyna C.Y. Ma
 * Sophora cassioides (Phil.) Sparre—Pelú (Chile)
 * Sophora chathamica Cockayne—coastal kowhai (New Zealand)
 * Sophora chrysophylla (Salisb.) Seem.—Māmane (Hawaii)
 * Sophora davidi (Franch.) Skeels
 * Sophora denudata Bory
 * Sophora dunii Craib
 * Sophora exigua Craib
 * Sophora fernandeziana (Phil.) Skottsb. (Juan Fernández Islands)
 * var. fernandeziana (Phil.) Skottsb.
 * var. reedeana (R.A.Phillips) Skottsb.
 * Sophora flavescens Aiton—ku shen (Eastern Asia)
 * var. flavescens Aiton
 * var. galegoides (Pall.) DC.
 * var. kronei (Hance) C.Y.Ma
 * Sophora franchetiana Dunn
 * Sophora fraseri Benth.
 * Sophora fulvida (Allan) Heenan & de Lange—Waitakere kowhai (New Zealand)
 * Sophora gibbosa (DC.) Yakovlev
 * Sophora godleyi—Godley kowhai, papa kowhai (New Zealand)
 * Sophora howinsula (W.R.B.Oliv.) P.S.Green—lignum vitae, Lord Howe kowhai
 * Sophora huamotensis Mattapha, Suddee & Rueangr.
 * Sophora inhambanensis Klotzsch
 * Sophora interrupta Bedd.
 * Sophora jaubertii Spach
 * Sophora koreensis Nakai – Korean necklace pod
 * Sophora leachiana M. Peck
 * Sophora linearifolia Griseb.
 * Sophora longicarinata (G.Simpson) Allan—limestone kowhai (New Zealand)
 * Sophora longipes Merr.
 * Sophora macnabiana (Graham) Skottsb.
 * Sophora macrocarpa Sm. — mayo or mayú (Chile)
 * Sophora mangarevaensis H.St.John (French Polynesia)
 * Sophora masafuerana (Phil.) Skottsb. (Juan Fernández Islands)
 * Sophora microcarpa C.Y. Ma
 * Sophora microphylla Aiton—small-leaved kowhai (New Zealand)
 * Sophora mollis (Royle) Baker
 * subsp. griffithii (Stocks) Ali
 * subsp. mollis (Royle) Baker
 * Sophora molloyi—Cook Strait Kowhai (New Zealand)
 * Sophora moorcroftiana (Benth.) Benth. ex Baker
 * Sophora nuttalliana B.L. Turner
 * Sophora oblongata P.C.Tsoong
 * Sophora pachycarpa Schrenk ex C.A.Mey.
 * Sophora praetorulosa Chun & T. Chen
 * Sophora prostrata Buchanan—dwarf kowhai, prostrate kowhai (New Zealand)
 * Sophora raivavaeensis H.St.John (French Polynesia)
 * Sophora rapaensis H.St.John (French Polynesia)
 * Sophora reedeana (Phil.) Yakovlev
 * Sophora rhynchocarpa Griseb. (unplaced)
 * Sophora saxicola Proctor (Jamaica)
 * Sophora secundiflora, a popular landscape plant, was reclassified to Dermatophyllum secundiflorum.
 * Sophora songarica Schrenk
 * Sophora stenophylla A. Gray
 * Sophora tetraptera J.F. Mill.—large-leaved kowhai, Taupo kowhai (New Zealand)
 * Sophora tomentosa L.—necklace pod (Pantropical on coasts)
 * subsp. littoralis (Schrad.) Yakovlev
 * subsp. occidentalis (L.) Brummitt
 * subsp. tomentosa L.
 * Sophora tonkinensis Gagnep.
 * Sophora toromiro Skottsb.—toromiro (Easter Island)
 * Sophora velutina Lindl.
 * subsp. cavaleriei (H.Lev.) Brummitt & J.B.Gillett
 * subsp. velutina Lindl.
 * subsp. zimbabweensis J. B. Gillett & Brummitt
 * Sophora violacea Thwaites
 * Sophora wightii Baker (India)
 * Sophora xanthoantha C.Y. Ma
 * Sophora yunnanensis C.Y. Ma
 * Sophora zeylanica Trimen

<!--Sophora acuminata was reclassified as Sophora benthamii. Sophora affinis was reclassified as Styphnolobium affine. Sophora alba was reclassified as Baptisia alba. Sophora albicans is a synonym of Sophora alopecuroides var. alopecuroides Sophora alpina was reclassified as Thermopsis alpina. Sophora ambigua is a synonym of Sophora velutina subsp. velutina Sophora angulata was reclassified as Erythrostemon angulatus Sophora angustifolia was reclassified as Sophora flavescens. Sophora arenicola was reclassified as Sophora tomentosa. Sophora argentea was reclassified as Ammodendron bifolium. Sophora arizonica was reclassified as Dermatophyllum arizonicum. Sophora aurea was reclassified as Calpurnia aurea. Sophora australis was reclassified as Baptisia australis. Sophora bhutanica was reclassified as Sophora prazeri. Sophora bifolia was reclassified as Ammodendron bifolium. Sophora buxbaumii was reclassified as Sophora mollis. Sophora caerulea was reclassified as Baptisia australis. Sophora calyptrata was reclassified as Podalyria calyptrata. Sophora capensis was reclassified as Virgilia oroboides. Sophora carnosa was reclassified as Sophora nuttalliana. Sophora cavaleriei was reclassified as Sophora velutina. Sophora conzattii was reclassified as Styphnolobium conzattii. Sophora crassifolia was reclassified as Sophora tomentosa. Sophora dispar was reclassified as Sophora dunnii. Sophora duclouxii was reclassified as Sophora prazeri. Sophora fometosa is a misspelling of Sophora tomentosa. Sophora formosa was reclassified as Dermatophyllum arizonicum. Sophora fabacea was reclassified as Thermopsis lupinoides. Sophora galegoides was reclassified as Sophora flavescens. Sophora galioides was reclassified as Cyclopia galioides. Sophora genistoides was reclassified as Cyclopia genistoides. Sophora glauca was reclassified as Sophora albescens and Sophora velutina. Sophora griffithii was reclassified as Sophora mollis. Sophora gypsophila was reclassified as Dermatophyllum gypsophilum. Sophora havanensis was reclassified as Sophora tomentosa. Sophora heptaphylla was reclassified as Aganope heptaphylla, Sophora wightii, and Sophora zeylanica. Sophora heterophylla was reclassified as Sophora wightii. Sophora hortensis was reclassified as Sophora mollis. Sophora japonica was reclassified as Styphnolobium japonicum. Sophora juanhintoniana was reclassified as Dermatophyllum juanhintonianum. Sophora juncea was reclassified as Viminaria juncea. Sophora kentukea was reclassified as Cladrastis kentukea. Sophora korolkowii was reclassified as Styphnolobium japonicum. Sophora kronei was reclassified as Sophora flavescens. Sophora lanceolata was reclassified as Baptisia lanceolata. Sophora lehmanni is a misspelling of Sophora lehmannii, which was reclassified as Ammothamnus lehmannii. Sophora lehmannii was reclassified as Ammothamnus lehmanni. Sophora littoralis was reclassified as Sophora tomentosa. Sophora lupinoides was reclassified as Thermopsis lupinoides. Sophora mairei was reclassified as Sophora prazeri. Sophora monosperma was reclassified as Ormosia monosperma. Sophora nitens was reclassified as Sophora tomentosa. Sophora nitida was reclassified as Sophora denudata. Sophora occidentalis was reclassified as Sophora tomentosa. Sophora oligosperma was reclassified as Sophora albo-petiolulata. Sophora orientalis was reclassified as Sophora alopecuroides. Sophora oroboides was reclassified as Virgilia oroboides. Sophora pallida was reclassified as Sophora alopecuroides. Sophora perfoliata was reclassified as Baptisia perfoliata. Sophora philippinensis was reclassified as Sophora velutina. Sophora platycarpa was reclassified as Cladrastis platycarpa. Sophora prodanii was reclassified as Sophora jaubertii. Sophora purpusii was reclassified as Dermatophyllum purpusii. Sophora raivavaensis is a misspelling of Sophora raivavaeensis. Sophora retusa was reclassified as Sophora denudata. Sophora rubriflora was reclassified as Sophora violacea. Sophora secundiflora was reclassified as Dermatophyllum secundiflorum. Sophora sempervirens was reclassified as Sophora secundiflora. Sophora sericea was reclassified as Podalyria sericea, Sophora denudata, and Sophora nuttalliana. Sophora shikokiana was reclassified as Cladrastis shikokiana. Sophora sinensis was reclassified as Styphnolobium japonicum. Sophora somalensis was reclassified as Millettia usaramensis. Sophora songorica was reclassified as Ammothamnus songoricus. Sophora speciosa was reclassified as Sophora secundiflora. Sophora subprostrata was reclassified as Sophora tonkinensis. Sophora sylvatica was reclassified as Calpurnia aurea. Sophora tinctoria was reclassified as Baptisia tinctoria. Sophora tometosa is a misspelling of Sophora tomentosa. Sophora viciaefolia is a misspelling of Sophora viciifolia, which was reclassified as Sophora davidii. Sophora viciifolia was reclassified as Sophora davidii. Sophora villosa was reclassified as Thermopsis villosa. Sophora wilsonii was reclassified as Sophora prazeri. Sophora xanthantha is a misspelling of Sophora xanthoantha. Ref. http://www.ipni.org/ipni/idPlantNameSearch.do?id=901028-1&back_page=%2Fipni%2FeditAdvPlantNameSearch.do%3Ffind_infragenus%3D%26find_geoUnit%3D%26find_includePublicationAuthors%3Dtrue%26find_addedSince%3D%26find_family%3D%26find_genus%3DSophora%26find_infrafamily%3D%26find_rankToReturn%3Dspec%26find_publicationTitle%3D%26find_authorAbbrev%3D%26find_infraspecies%3D%26find_includeBasionymAuthors%3Dtrue%26find_modifiedSince%3D%26find_species%3Dxanthoantha%26output_format%3Dnormal Sophora zambesiaca was reclassified as Xanthocercis zambesiaca.-->

Species names with uncertain taxonomic status
The status of the following species is unresolved:


 * Sophora angustifolia Q.Q.Liu & H.Y.Ye
 * Sophora biflora Houtt.
 * Sophora biflora Retz.
 * Sophora buxifolia Retz.
 * Sophora chathamica Cockayne
 * Sophora coerulea Moench
 * Sophora cuneifolia Steud.
 * Sophora davidii (Franch.) Skeels
 * Sophora donihuensis Ravenna
 * Sophora genistaefolia Salisb.
 * Sophora genistoides L.
 * Sophora glabra Moench
 * Sophora glabra Hassk.
 * Sophora godleyi Heenan & de Lange
 * Sophora grandiflora (Salisb.) Skottsb.
 * Sophora grisea O.Deg. & Sherff
 * Sophora hirsuta Aiton
 * Sophora houghiana Wall.
 * Sophora howinsula (W.R.B. Oliv.) P. Green
 * Sophora jabandas Montrouz.
 * Sophora juncea Schrad.
 * Sophora ludovice-Adecim-Asexta Buc'hoz
 * Sophora mangarevaensis H.St.John
 * Sophora mecosperma J.St.-Hil.
 * Sophora molloyi Heenan & de Lange
 * Sophora molokaiensis O. Degener & I. Degener
 * Sophora mutabilis Salisb.
 * Sophora myrtillifolia Retz.
 * Sophora oblongata P.C.Tsoong
 * Sophora oblongifolia Ruiz & Pav.
 * Sophora oligophylla Baker
 * Sophora pendula Spach
 * Sophora pentaphylla Desv.
 * Sophora persica (Boiss. & Buhse) Rech.f.
 * Sophora praetorulosa Chun & T.C. Chen
 * Sophora raivavaeensis H.St.John
 * Sophora rapaensis H.St.John
 * Sophora robinoides Walp.
 * Sophora senegalensis Deless. ex DC.
 * Sophora sibirica Holub
 * Sophora sinica Rosier
 * Sophora sinuata Larrañaga
 * Sophora sororia Hance
 * Sophora sumatrana Yakovlev
 * Sophora sylvatica Burch.
 * Sophora tetraptera J. Miller
 * Sophora tiloebsis Blume ex Miq.
 * Sophora tiloensis Blume ex Miq.
 * Sophora trifolia Steud.
 * Sophora triphylla Sweet
 * Sophora vanioti H. Lév.
 * Sophora vestita Nakai
 * Sophora viciifolis Hance