Broadly spreading as an adult tree, evergreen. Unique juvenile form - lance-like stem 4.5-6m with downward pointing stiff narrow leaves. Adult form and leaves change completely. Shade tolerant.

Uncommon evergreen shrub or small tree native from Coromandel to Taranaki. 5-7 leaflets with reddish stalks up to 25cm long. Small red berries in spring. Palatable species protect from stock and possums.

Restricted to the central western North Is., usually 1 trunk, foliage appearance grey-green with long pendulous branches. Branchlets densely pubescent, becoming glabrous with age. Adult leaves to 170mm long, petioles and rachides channelled above, Leaflets 47-75 becoming smaller near leaftip, can be crowded but not overlapping. Up to 7 yellow flowerrs Oct - Dec. Pods 60-120mm long with up to 11 yellow seeds.

Can grow to 25m usually a single trunk, branches weeping and spreading. Adult leaflets 30-50, not crowded or overlapping, of similar size, with an obvious petiolule, moderately to sparcely hairy, hairs straight and appressed. Leaves >30mm, leaflet pairs >6. Juveniles divaricating and interlacing branching. Can be deciduous in a cold climate. To 7 Yellow flowers in a bunch in Spring attract tuis and bellbirds, pigeons feed on the leaves.