Kōwhai seeds on Kermadec and Chatham Islands’ beaches
Recent research led by scientist Lara Shepherd used DNA sequencing to examine the origins of kōwhai seeds found on the beaches of the Chatham and Kermadec Islands.Read more
2017-09-04
Kōwhai’s global family tree
The distribution of kōwhai and its close relatives throughout the Southern Hemisphere has intrigued scientists, including Charles Darwin, for over 150 years. Recent research led by Lara Shepherd has revealed more about the relationships among this iconic group of plants.Read more
2017-08-30
Coastal kōwhai in the south of its range – natural or planted?
Science researcher Lara Shepherd explores the distribution of kōwhai in New Zealand – largely found in the north and likely introduced in the south. Read more
2017-03-28
What can kōwhai tell us about the location of New Zealand’s forests during the ice ages?
Science researcher Lara Shepherd explores kōwhai trees, one of New Zealand’s most widely recognised native plants and our unofficial national flower.Read more
2017-03-14
The toromiro tree: Kōwhai’s remarkable cousin from Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
Does the plant in the above photo look familiar? That’s probably because the tree in the photo is in the same genus—Sophora—as the kōwhai. There are about 45 species of Sophora worldwide, including the toromiro tree from Rapa Nui (Easter Island) shown above. There are eight different species of SophoraRead more
2010-11-29