Species

Veronica tetragona subsp. tetragona

Etymology

Veronica: Named after Saint Veronica, who gave Jesus her veil to wipe his brow as he carried the cross through Jerusalem, perhaps because the common name of this plant is 'speedwell'. The name Veronica is often believed to derive from the Latin vera 'truth' and iconica 'image', but it is actually derived from the Macedonian name Berenice which means 'bearer of victory'.
tetragona: From the Greek tetragonum 'tetragon', refers to a four-angled part of the plant's anatomy.

Common Name(s)

whipcord Hebe

Current Conservation Status

2012 - Not Threatened

Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2012 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2009 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, Paul D. Champion, Shannel P. Courtney, Peter B. Heenan, John W. Barkla, Ewen K. Cameron, David A. Norton and Rodney A. Hitchmough. File size: 792KB

Previous Conservation Status

2009 - Not Threatened
2004 - Not Threatened

Authority

Veronica tetragona Hook. subsp. tetragona

Family

Plantaginaceae

Brief Description

Bushy shrub bearing erect knobbly yellowish-green twigs inhabiting the Volcanic Plateau and East Cape mountains. Twigs 2.8-3.5mm wide, square in cross-section, Leaves scale-like, 2-3.2mm long, with thickened tip, margins hairy (lens needed), flowers white, in clusters of 2-12 at tip of twigs.

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Trees & Shrubs

Synonyms

Podocarpus ?dieffenbachii Hook., Hebe tetragona (Hook.) Anderson subsp. tetragona, Hebe tetragona (Hook.) Cockayne et Allan nom. superf. nom. illeg., Leonohebe tetragona (Hook.) Heads,

Distribution

Endemic. North Island, Raukumara, Kaimanawa and northern Ruahine Range, and volcanoes of the Central Volcanic Plateau

Flower Colours

White

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 40

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Where To Buy

Not commercially available

This page last updated on 22 Feb 2016