Sophora L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 373 (1753)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Cosmopolitan.

Descriptions

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Morphology General Habit
Herbs, shrubs or trees; leaves pinnate with a terminal leaflet; leaflets opposite, subopposite, or irregularly alternate; stipels absent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers in terminal racemes or panicles; calyx bell-shaped, obliquely truncate or with 5 short teeth; corolla yellow; standard elliptic or rounded; wings and keel about the same length, clawed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 10, all free
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary short-stalked; style slightly incurved, with a minute terminal stigma; ovules rather few
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Pod stalked, elongate, constricted between the seeds, indehiscent; seeds rounded-oblong or somewhat compressed.
Distribution
A tropical and warm-temperate genus of about 50 species.
[Cayman]

Legumes of the World. Edited by G. Lewis, B. Schrire, B. MacKinder & M. Lock. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. (2005)

Note

In Polhill’s (1994) treatment the following informal groups were recognised: the Myroxylon group (11 genera; 10 Neotropics, one Africa); Ormosia group (3 genera; Neotropics, Africa, Asia); Angylocalyx group (4 genera; Neotropics, Africa, Australia); Baphia group (6 genera; Africa to Asia); Dussia group (9 genera; Neotropics) and Sophora group (14 genera; Africa, Asia, Neotropics).

The only formal change made to the classification of Sophoreae since Polhill (1994) is the transfer of Bowringia and Baphiastrum to Leucomphalos (Breteler, 1994b). In this account we maintain Bowringia and Baphiastrum, not because we disagree with Breteler (1994b), but in the spirit of this volume, to encourage future workers to verify the monophyly of Leucomphalos sens. lat. with new data. We also do not follow Polhill’s (1994) suggestion that Riedeliella, Etaballia and Inocarpus belong in Sophoreae. It has been generally accepted (e.g., Polhill, 1981b) that these belong in Dalbergieae, which is confirmed by the recent study of Lavin et al. (2001a) that places them in the Dalbergioid clade. They are therefore treated as Dalbergieae in this volume (see page 307).

Cladistic analyses of overall morphology (Chappill, 1995; Herendeen, 1995) and pollen data (Ferguson et al., 1994) showed Sophoreae to be non-monophyletic because Swartzieae genera were mixed in the same monophyletic groups as Sophoreae. These results have been corroborated by molecular studies. Doyle et al. (1996) showed Sophoreae to be heterogeneous for a large inversion in the chloroplast genome. This suggests that Sophoreae is non-monophyletic if it is assumed that the inversion arose only once. Doyle et al.’s (1997) DNA sequencing study of the chloroplast gene rbcL included 18 genera of Sophoreae. Cladistic analysis showed these to be scattered widely across the papilionoid tree. More recently, these results have been corroborated by another chloroplast locus, the trnL intron (Pennington et al., 2001). This study sampled more putatively basal genera of Papilionoideae (26 of 41 Sophoreae; 14 of 15 Swartzieae and all Dalbergieae and Dipterygeae). The trnL tree (summarised in Fig. 29) is also largely congruent with other molecular studies that include some taxa of basal Papilionoideae (e.g., Hu et al., 2000; Ireland et al, 2000; Lavin et al., 2001a; Kajita et al., 2001; Wojciechowski et al., 2004). It clearly shows genera of Sophoreae to be members of disparate papilionoid clades.

Diverse datasets now indicate Sophoreae to be non-monophyletic as Polhill (1981b; 1994) predicted. If the trnL results are corroborated, it seems likely that Sophoreae will be dismembered with its genera scattered across several tribes. This would entail extensive taxonomic changes. Yakovlev (1972b; 1991) split Sophoreae into five and nine tribes respectively. These classifications have not been widely accepted, and although they are not congruent with the most recent molecular topologies, they will need to be considered in any formalisation of new tribal names. In any new scheme, Sophoreae sens. strict. will comprise a group of genistoid clade genera from among Polhill’s (1994) Sophora group (Fig. 29), but published molecular phylogenetic studies have not yet sampled sufficient genera to suggest its delimitation.

A new classification for Sophoreae requires sampling of the genera not included by Pennington et al. (2001; see Fig. 29) and other authors, in future molecular systematic studies. Some of the clades discovered by DNA sequence data (Fig. 29) are cryptic in that they are not marked by obvious macro-morphological features, and it is therefore perilous to attempt to determine the affinities of genera based upon macro-morphology alone. It may be that these clades are defined by anatomical or chemical characters. For example, quinolizidine alkaloid accumulation may be a synapomorphy for the Genistoid clade (Pennington et al., 2001; Kite & Pennington, 2003), and lack of these chemicals in Styphnolobium species supports the segregation of this genus from Sophora sens. strict. The presence of quinolizidine alkaloids in Calia, which is not placed amongst the genistoids, suggests that this genus is a strong candidate as sister group to the Genistoid clade, a relationship that might be resolved by more robust molecular phylogenies. Such phylogenies should incorporate information from nuclear genes (Lavin et al., 1998; Doyle & Doyle, 2000) which would be particularly useful to test hypotheses that are currently based solely upon evidence from chloroplast DNA. Careful integration of morphology, preferably as part of a simultaneous cladistic analysis, is also critical. Such morphological study may be best achieved by focusing on separate monophyletic groups because assessment of homology of morphological features across all Papilionoideae is difficult. The monophyletic groups discovered in the trnL analysis provide a framework for starting these future studies. In all 45 genera and (393) – 396 – (398) species are treated here (including c. 76 basally branching, c. 262 genistoid and c. 58 baphioid species of Sophoreae; Fig. 29).

Some authors maintain a broad circumscription of Sophora; Yakovlev (1967), however, split it into a number of genera and there is a tendency to recognise some of these segregates, e.g., Calia and Styphnolobium have been shown by molecular and morphological data to be distinct genera; sect. Edwardsia (c. 16-18 spp. with various hybrids in New Zealand) is most distinctive biogeographically, comprising the Australasian, Pacific, Mascarenes and S American element of the genus; the centre of the remaining species is China, India and Indo-China. On the basis of DNA sequence data, Sophora sens. strict. belongs with the Genistoid clade (Doyle et al., 1997; Pennington et al., 2001; Kajita et al., 2001; Wojciechowski et al., 2004)
Habit
Trees, shrubs and herbs
Ecology
Seasonally dry tropical to warm temperate lowland and upland forest or dry vegetation types and sand dunes
Distribution
SE Europe to W, C & E Asia and south through tropical regions to Australasia and the Pacific; c. 3-4 spp. in sect. Edwardsia in western S America (Chile, Argentina and Juan Fernandez Is.); largely introduced in Africa; 1 sp. endemic from coastal Kenya south to S Africa and Madagascar; S. tomentosa L. widespread in the coastal Palaeotropics and also in coastal E Brazil
[LOWO]

Leguminosae, R.K. Brummitt, D.K. Harder, G.P. Lewis, J.M. Lock, R.M. Polhill & B. Verdcourt. Flora Zambesiaca 3:3. 2007

Morphology General Habit
Trees or shrubs or rarely perennial herbs.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves imparipinnate, with 4–18(32) leaflets per side, glabrous to densely tomentose; stipels absent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences terminal or axillary, consisting of few- to many-flowered racemes; bracts often fairly large; bracteoles small when present but usually apparently absent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers markedly perigynous, with a distinct hypanthium.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx campanulate to tubular, with very shallow to prominent and acute lobes, the upper 2 often fused.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals yellow, white, blue or purple, small to rather large; standard usually gradually narrowed below into a short claw, the limb ± reflexed; keel petals overlapping or joined on the lower side.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens free to shortly joined at the base; anthers dorsifixed.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary shortly stalked.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pod moniliform, often winged, with 1–14 seeds, dehiscent or tardily breaking up irregularly.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds ovoid, ellipsoid or globose, usually without a distinct radicular lobe and with a small hilum; radicle short, ± straight or incurved.
[FZ]

Timothy M. A. Utteridge and Laura V. S. Jennings (2022). Trees of New Guinea. Kew Publishing. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Morphology General Habit
Shrubs or small trees to 7.5 m (in New Guinea)
Morphology Leaves Stipules
Stipules present or absent
Morphology Leaves
Leaves imparipinnate, leaflets many, entire; stipels absent (in New Guinea)
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences terminal or axillary, racemose; bracts small and linear or absent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers yellow (in New Guinea), white, or purple; calyx campanulate or cup-shaped, 5-lobed, equal, upper 2 lobes nearly bilabiate; standard petal orbicular, oblong, elliptic, obovate, or oblanceolate, wing petals asymmetric or symmetric, keel petals similar to wings; stamens 10, free or fused at base; anthers versatile; ovary stalk short or absent; ovules several to many; stigma small, terminal, globose
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruits cylindric, moniliform, fleshy or leathery, sometimes winged, indehiscent or tardily dehiscent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds 1 to many, ovate, elliptic, or subspheroidal, dark brown (in New Guinea) to black when mature.
Distribution
Sophora tomentosa is found in strand vegetation including mangroves, coastal forest and along sandy shores, usually at sea level but sometimes reaching 30 m. A genus of about 50 species widespread in tropical and temperate zones with a single species in New Guinea: Sophora tomentosa L.
Recognition
The genus is recognised by the imparipinnate leaves with many leaflets (up to a total of 19 in New Guinea), the terminal racemes with numerous yellow flowers and the moniliform fruits (i.e. with the fruit strongly constricted between the seeds).
[TONG]

Leguminosae, J. B. Gillett, R. M. Polhill & B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1971

Morphology General Habit
Trees, shrubs or rarely perennial herbs
Morphology Leaves
Leaves imparipinnate, 8–36(–64)-foliolate; stipels setaceous or often absent; leaflets 0.5–5(–9) cm. long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers in terminal or axillary few- to many-flowered racemes; bracts often fairly large; bracteoles small when present, but usually apparently absent; pedicels often swollen or jointed near the top
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Hypanthium
Hypanthium often well developed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx campanulate to tubular, with very shallow to prominent and acute lobes, the upper 2 often fused
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals yellow, white, blue or purple, up to 5 cm. long; standard usually narrowed into a short claw, the limb ± reflexed; wings ± obliquely oblong; keel-petals usually overlapping or joined on the lower side
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens free or shortly joined at the base; anthers dorsifixed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary shortly stipitate, with several to numerous ovules; style incurved, with a small terminal stigma
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit moniliform, often winged, 1–14-seeded, dehiscent or coriaceous to fleshy and indehiscent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds obovoid or globose, usually with a small hilum; radicle straight or incurved.
[FTEA]

Legumes of the World. Edited by G. Lewis, B. Schrire, B. MacKinder & M. Lock. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. (2005)

Habit
Shrubs (dwarf)
Ecology
Dry continental temperate grassland and desert
Distribution
C Asia (Kazakhstan, Tadzhikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan)
Note
Some authors consider this genus to be a section within Sophora (e.g., S. gibbosa (DC.) Yakovlev and S. pachycarpa C.A.Mey. from W Asia and the Middle East), but within its area of distribution it is regarded as a distinct genus

In Polhill’s (1994) treatment the following informal groups were recognised: the Myroxylon group (11 genera; 10 Neotropics, one Africa); Ormosia group (3 genera; Neotropics, Africa, Asia); Angylocalyx group (4 genera; Neotropics, Africa, Australia); Baphia group (6 genera; Africa to Asia); Dussia group (9 genera; Neotropics) and Sophora group (14 genera; Africa, Asia, Neotropics).

The only formal change made to the classification of Sophoreae since Polhill (1994) is the transfer of Bowringia and Baphiastrum to Leucomphalos (Breteler, 1994b). In this account we maintain Bowringia and Baphiastrum, not because we disagree with Breteler (1994b), but in the spirit of this volume, to encourage future workers to verify the monophyly of Leucomphalos sens. lat. with new data. We also do not follow Polhill’s (1994) suggestion that Riedeliella, Etaballia and Inocarpus belong in Sophoreae. It has been generally accepted (e.g., Polhill, 1981b) that these belong in Dalbergieae, which is confirmed by the recent study of Lavin et al. (2001a) that places them in the Dalbergioid clade. They are therefore treated as Dalbergieae in this volume (see page 307).

Cladistic analyses of overall morphology (Chappill, 1995; Herendeen, 1995) and pollen data (Ferguson et al., 1994) showed Sophoreae to be non-monophyletic because Swartzieae genera were mixed in the same monophyletic groups as Sophoreae. These results have been corroborated by molecular studies. Doyle et al. (1996) showed Sophoreae to be heterogeneous for a large inversion in the chloroplast genome. This suggests that Sophoreae is non-monophyletic if it is assumed that the inversion arose only once. Doyle et al.’s (1997) DNA sequencing study of the chloroplast gene rbcL included 18 genera of Sophoreae. Cladistic analysis showed these to be scattered widely across the papilionoid tree. More recently, these results have been corroborated by another chloroplast locus, the trnL intron (Pennington et al., 2001). This study sampled more putatively basal genera of Papilionoideae (26 of 41 Sophoreae; 14 of 15 Swartzieae and all Dalbergieae and Dipterygeae). The trnL tree (summarised in Fig. 29) is also largely congruent with other molecular studies that include some taxa of basal Papilionoideae (e.g., Hu et al., 2000; Ireland et al, 2000; Lavin et al., 2001a; Kajita et al., 2001; Wojciechowski et al., 2004). It clearly shows genera of Sophoreae to be members of disparate papilionoid clades.

Diverse datasets now indicate Sophoreae to be non-monophyletic as Polhill (1981b; 1994) predicted. If the trnL results are corroborated, it seems likely that Sophoreae will be dismembered with its genera scattered across several tribes. This would entail extensive taxonomic changes. Yakovlev (1972b; 1991) split Sophoreae into five and nine tribes respectively. These classifications have not been widely accepted, and although they are not congruent with the most recent molecular topologies, they will need to be considered in any formalisation of new tribal names. In any new scheme, Sophoreae sens. strict. will comprise a group of genistoid clade genera from among Polhill’s (1994) Sophora group (Fig. 29), but published molecular phylogenetic studies have not yet sampled sufficient genera to suggest its delimitation.

A new classification for Sophoreae requires sampling of the genera not included by Pennington et al. (2001; see Fig. 29) and other authors, in future molecular systematic studies. Some of the clades discovered by DNA sequence data (Fig. 29) are cryptic in that they are not marked by obvious macro-morphological features, and it is therefore perilous to attempt to determine the affinities of genera based upon macro-morphology alone. It may be that these clades are defined by anatomical or chemical characters. For example, quinolizidine alkaloid accumulation may be a synapomorphy for the Genistoid clade (Pennington et al., 2001; Kite & Pennington, 2003), and lack of these chemicals in Styphnolobium species supports the segregation of this genus from Sophora sens. strict. The presence of quinolizidine alkaloids in Calia, which is not placed amongst the genistoids, suggests that this genus is a strong candidate as sister group to the Genistoid clade, a relationship that might be resolved by more robust molecular phylogenies. Such phylogenies should incorporate information from nuclear genes (Lavin et al., 1998; Doyle & Doyle, 2000) which would be particularly useful to test hypotheses that are currently based solely upon evidence from chloroplast DNA. Careful integration of morphology, preferably as part of a simultaneous cladistic analysis, is also critical. Such morphological study may be best achieved by focusing on separate monophyletic groups because assessment of homology of morphological features across all Papilionoideae is difficult. The monophyletic groups discovered in the trnL analysis provide a framework for starting these future studies. In all 45 genera and (393) – 396 – (398) species are treated here (including c. 76 basally branching, c. 262 genistoid and c. 58 baphioid species of Sophoreae; Fig. 29).

[LOWO]

Uses

Use
Some of the arboreous ones noted for their extremely hard wood.
[Cayman]

Use
Cultivated as ornamentals (in sect. Edwardsia, with yellow flowers, e.g., S. tetraptera J.F.Mill. [kowhai ] and S. microphylla Aiton [small-leaved kowhai ]; and in sect. Pseudosophora, with blue to white flowers, e.g., S. davidii (Franch.) Skeels); also used for its durable timber (for bearings, turnery and cabinet work), as medicine (e.g., S. flavescens Aiton [ku shen ], S. tonkinensis Gagnep. [shan dou gen ] and S. microphylla); some species are toxic and used as insecticides
[LOWO]

Use
Used for medicine, dyes, forage, ornamentals, preventing erosion and as bee crops for honey
[LOWO]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
  • Flora of the Cayman Islands

    • Flora of the Cayman Islands
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images
  • Legumes of the World Online

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
  • Trees of New Guinea

    • Trees of New Guinea
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
  • World Checklist of Vascular plants (WCVP)

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0