A particularly unusual species of New Zealand 'Kowhai' with extremely small and densely set leaflets on recurved leaves, the undersides of which bear a fulvous (yellowish-brown) covering of hairs, as do the branchlets. Attractive, atypical, golden-yellow pea flowers are borne in spring on this medium sized evergreen shrub. Much slower growing than most other NZ Sophora, reaching about 2m.