Sophora mollis (Royle) Baker (syn: Edwardsia hortensis Boiss. & Buhse; Edwardsia mollis Royle; Keyserlingia buxbaumii Boiss.; Keyserlingia hortensis (Boiss. &  Buhse) Yakovlev; Keyserlingia mollis (Royle)Boiss.; Sophora buxbaumii (Bunge)B.Fedtsch.; Sophora hortensis (Boiss. & Buhse)Rech.f.);
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Afghanistan (N); China (N); Yunnan; India (N); Himachal Pradesh; Jammu-Kashmir; Madhaya Pradesh; Punjab; Uttar Pradesh; Iran (N); Nepal (N); Pakistan (N); Tadzhikistan (N) Kulyab as per ILDIS;
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Dubia-2 from Kashmir : 11 posts by 6 authors. Attachments (2)

Dubia-2, a leguminous shrub with pinnate leaves and moniliform pods, grown in newly developed Hazuribagh Garden in Srinagar, Kashmir. Photographed on June 16, 2010.


Looks like a species of Sophora. Probably S. tetraptera.


Sophora was my first thought as well, though I’m more familiar with S. affinis  (Eve’s Necklace–South Florida), S. secundiflora (Texas Mountain Laurel–desert SW), and S. japonica (exotic, used as a street tree) here in the ‘States. These species all have similarly constricted pods.


Thanks … for important leads. I will explore these and report back. Sophora japonica is a very popular tree in Kashmir grown in gardens and lawns and trained in the shape of an umbrella, and hence called locally as Chhatur kul (umbrella tree). I am uploading it separately.


Having considered the species of Sophora there is possibility of S. tetraptera or S. mollis on the basis of 4-winged pods. Latter has been reported from various places in Western Himalayas including Kashmir, and could be the likely candidate, but as the plant is cultivated in a garden with several European plants, former also has to be considered. I don’t have access to the differences between the two species. The information is sought to reach conclusion.


I was able to find these two links of (allegedly) S. mollis, though they appear to be quite different from each other. I can’t vouch for the ID of either specimen, however.
Link
Link 2


Sir Collins small book on Garden tree-pg 165 has the following on Sophora ..” Sophora microphylla and Sophora tetraptera both have small, evergreen leaves composed of many small leaflets, from 10 to 40 pairs. They have yellow flowers in small clusters, carried in late winter or spring. They make shrubs or small trees, to 6m (20ft). Sophora japonica is a much taller growing tree, capable of making 20m (67ft) in height and spread.”

There is tiny picture of Sophora microphylla in the book, the leaves are longer in your plant but the branching pattern is the same, so it looks more like your Pics are of Sophora tetraptera.


From fruit images it appears closer to images of Sophora microphylla as per the following:
Alamy
http://molvray.com/photos/picture.php?/15719

Having seen the fruits of of two species it is seen that fruit segments of S. tetraptera are much closer, separated by constriction much shorter than segments. In S. mollis on other hand segments are separated by constriction much longer, and segments are fewer in number.

S. tetraptera
S. mollis
That clearly identifies my plant as S. mollis

I am attaching more images of fruit taken two years later, that identifies it clearly as S. mollis var. mollis


Sophora alopecuroides L. ??


Not S. alopecuroides …, which is a smaller herb or undershrub, and more important does not have winged pods, clearly seen here.


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This small shrub was uploaded by me in July, 2010. Discussions led to Sophora tetraptera or S. mollis. Your opinion please
S. mollis var. mollis as per Dubia-2 from Kashmir

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