Species

Veronica calycina R.Br.

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'.
calycina: From the Greek kalux (in Latin calyx) 'case of a bud' or 'husk', meaning having a persistent or well developed calyx

Current Conservation Status

2018 - Threatened - Nationally Critical

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

Authority

Veronica calycina R.Br.

Family

Plantaginaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

Distribution

Indigenous. New Zealand: North Island (Bay of Plenty, Orokawa Bay). Common in Australia

Habitat

Open coastal forest amongst grasses and boulders

Flowering

February

Threats

Unknown. First collected from New Zealand in 1906 but those gatherings were misidentified as V. plebeia, it was subsequently rediscovered at the same location in 2010. However, a full survey for the species was not then made, and the identity of the gathering (and those made in 1906) was only confirmed in 2013. For these reasons the species is provisionally assigned 'Data Deficient' status. This threat status will need to be formally ratified by the New Zealand Vascular Plant Threat Listing panel.

Endemic Taxon

No

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 20 Aug 2013