Sophora chrysophylla, also known as mamane, is a species of flowering plant in the Fabaceae (bean and pea) family native to Hawaii.
There are around 50 species[1] in the Sophora genus, with mamane being the only representative on the Islands of Hawai. It’s highly polymorphic, growing like a tree or shrub, and can reach 15 meters (49 feet) tall as a tree.
Mamane has ribbed branches that are golden brown in color. The tree has pinnate compound leaves with 6-10 pairs of leaflets. Each leaflet is 0.28 to 1.97 inches (0.7 to 5 cm) long and 0.12 to 0.91 inches (0.3 to 2.3 cm) wide.
The leaves are smooth or hairy, with yellow or gray hairs on the underside. The flowers are found in clusters at the base of the leaves or at the ends of the branches; that is, they appear in terminal or axillary clusters. The yellow flowers are produced in spring and winter.
The petals range from 0.45 to 0.83 inches (11.5 to 21 mm) long and 0.31 to 0.79 inches (8 to 20 mm) wide.
