The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Veronica hulkeana subsp. evestita

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'.

Current Conservation Status

2012 - At Risk - Naturally Uncommon

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 - At Risk - Naturally Uncommon
2004 - Not Threatened

Qualifiers

2012 - RR

Authority

Veronica hulkeana subsp. evestita (Garn.-Jones) Garn.-Jones

Family

Plantaginaceae

Brief Description

Bushy small shrub bearing fleshy pairs of red edged glossy oval toothed leaves inhabiting limestone areas near Kaikoura. Twigs hairless (except occasionally near tip). Leaves 30-50mm long by 15-20mm wide on a 10-20mm long stalk that widens towards leaf. Flowers pinkish, in clusters to 50cm long.

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Trees & Shrubs

Synonyms

Heliohebe hulkeana subsp. evestita Garn.-Jones

Distribution

Endemic. South Island – Marlborough

Habitat

Rocky gorges, cliffs, and outcrops, on limestone.

Features

Stems usually glabrous throughout, rarely sparsely puberulent when young, hairs glandular and eglandular; eglandular stem hairs recurved. Leaves erecto-patent; lamina lanceolate, rhomboid, or rarely elliptic, (15-)30-50( -60) x (8-)15-20(-25) mm; apex acute, apiculate, or rarely obtuse; marginal teeth in 5-10(-15) pairs; adaxial surface glabrous or with minute twin-headed glandular hairs on midrib; abaxial surface glabrous. Petiole (8-)10-20(-25) mm long. Rachis glabrous basally, individual rachises of racemes glandular puberulent or sparsely puberulent. Pedicels glabrous or glandular-puberulent, 0-1 mm long. Calyx 2-3 mm long; lobes lanceolate, ovate, or deltoid, acuminate or acute, glandular-ciliolate or with mixed glandular and eglandular cilia. Corolla tube cylindric to narrowly funnelform; lobes glabrous. Stamen filaments inserted about middle of corolla tube, approximately1 mm long. Nectarial disk ciliolate or glabrous. Ovary glabrous or eglandular or glandular hairy (hairs short), 0.7-1.0 x 0.6-0.9 mm, 0.5-0.7 mm thick. Capsule 3.5-4.5 mm long, 2.0-2.5(-3.0) mm thick, usually glabrous, sometimes with unicellular eglandular or glandular hairs. Loculicidal split of capsule extending 1/3-way to base

Similar Taxa

The absence of a dense puberulent covering, particularly in the distal parts of the inflorescence, distinguishes Veronica hulkeana subsp. evestita from Veronica hulkeana subsp. hulkeana. When hairs are present on rachises, they are sparse and often glandular. The base of the calyx is glabrous or has a few sparse hairs, which may be glandular. The calyx lobes are ovate to lanceolate with acute to acuminate apices; their marginal cilia are more sparse and include some glandular hairs. The leaves tend to be more ovate to lanceolate than in Veronica hulkeana subsp. hulkeana, and the inflorescence tends to be more graceful, with flowers more distantly spaced.

Flowering

November

Fruiting

January-February (March)

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 42

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

Yes

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 13 Nov 2019