@classmethod
def create(cls, name=None, length=None, descendants=None, **kw):
    """
        Create a new `Node` object.

        :param name: Node label.
        :param length: Branch length from the new node to its parent.
        :param descendants: list of descendants or `None`.
        :param kw: Additonal keyword arguments are passed through to `Node.__init__`.
        :return: `Node` instance.
        """
    node = cls(name=name, length=length, **kw)
    for descendant in (descendants or []):
        node.add_descendant(descendant)
    return node
