The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Species

Veronica hulkeana subsp. hulkeana

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'.

Common Name(s)

NZ lilac

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 hulkeana F.Muell. subsp. hulkeana

Family

Plantaginaceae

Brief Description

Bushy small shrub bearing glossy fleshy pairs of red edged oval toothed leaves inhabiting the Kaikoura Ranges. Twigs fuzzy (lens needed). Leaves 20-45mm long by 10-20mm wide on a 10-15mm long stalk that widens towards leaf. Flowers pinkish, in clusters to 50cm long, stems fuzzy.

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Trees & Shrubs

Synonyms

Hebe hulkeana (F.Muell.) Cockayne et Allan; Parahebe hulkeana (F.Muell.) Heads; Heliohebe hulkeana (F.Muell.) Garn.-Jones subsp. hulkeana

Distribution

Endemic. South Island – Marlborough and Canterbury

Habitat

River gorges, coastal cliffs, rock outcrops, up to 900m, on limestone, greywacke, and conglomerate.

Features

Stem densely puberulent when young, becoming glabrous, hairs glandular or eglandular; eglandular stem hairs patent to recurved. Leaves erecto-patent to spreading; lamina narrowly to broadly lanceolate, ovate, oblong, or elliptic, (10-) 20-45 (-60) x (5-) 10—20 (-35) mm; apex acute, subacute, obtuse, rounded, or truncate; marginal teeth in 5-12 (-20) pairs; adaxial surface of leaves with minute twin-headed glandular hairs on midrib; abaxial surface of leaves glabrous, or sparsely hairy on midrib. Petiole (5-)10-15 (-20) mm long. Rachis glabrous basally, individual rachises of racemes puberulent or glandular-puberulent. Pedicels eglandular-puberulent, 0-0.5 mm long. Calyx (1.5-) 1.8-2.0 (-2.5) mm long; lobes elliptic to broadly obovoid, subacute or obtuse, eglandular-ciliate or with mixed glandular and eglandular cilia. Corolla tube funnelform; lobes glabrous or sparsely ciliate. Stamen filaments inserted between middle and base of corolla tube. Nectarial disk ciliolate, glabrous, or glandular-ciliate. Ovary glabrous, eglandular hairy, or glandular hairy, (0.6-) 0.8 x 0.8 mm, 0.6-0.8 mm thick. Capsule (2.5-) 3.0-4.0 (-4.5) mm long, 2.0 (-2.5) mm thick, glabrous; loculicidal split extending ½ -way to base.

Similar Taxa

This subspecies is distinguished from Veronica hulkeana subsp. evestita by the densely puberulent young stems and inflorescences and broadly rounded eglandular-ciliate calyx lobes.

Flowering

October-November

Flower Colours

Violet / Purple,White

Fruiting

November-February

Threats

Not Threatened

Chromosome No.

2n = 42

Endemic Taxon

Yes

Endemic Genus

Yes

Endemic Family

No

This page last updated on 13 Nov 2019