Sophora is a genus of about 45 species of small trees and shrubs in the pea family Fabaceae. The species are native to southern Asia, Australasia, various Pacific islands, western South America, the western United States, Florida and Puerto Rico. The generic name is derived from sophera, an Arabic name for a pea-flowered tree. The New Zealand Sophora species are known as kōwhai or kowhai. The seeds of species such as Sophora affinis and Sophora chrysophylla are reported to be poisonous.