This New Zealand native can be seen in full flower on the Terrace Garden.
The New Zealand flora contains many endemic species (those which have a limited geographic range and are native to only one region), and Chordospartium stevensonii (syn. Carmicahelia stevensonii) is one such species, occurring only in inland river valleys of South Marlborough, New Zealand. It is a rare species, under threat from grazing by goats, and can grow to 10m tall. The young twigs are leafless, and on the arching stems the leaves are reduced to scales, earning it the common names weeping tree broom, or cord broom. Dense racemes of white flowers with darker lavender or violet veins reach 10cm in length, and the pea-like flowers are typical of members of the Fabaceae (pea family), having a standard and a keel.