Veronica arganthera
Synonyms
Hebe arganthera Garn.-Jones, Bayly, W.G.Lee et Rance
Family
Plantaginaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Dicotyledonous Trees & Shrubs
Chromosome number
2n = 40
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2017 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: By Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, John W. Barkla, Shannel P. Courtney, Paul D. Champion, Leon R. Perrie, Sarah M. Beadel, Kerry A. Ford, Ilse Breitwieser, Ines Schönberger, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Peter B. Heenan and Kate Ladley.
2018 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | Threatened – Nationally Endangered | Qualifiers: RR, Sp
2009 | Threatened – Nationally Endangered | Qualifiers: RR, Sp
2004 | Range Restricted
Brief description
Bushy shrub bearing narrow pairs of leaves with a finely hairy margin (lens needed) inhabiting limestone bluffs in Fiordland. Leaves 15-30mm long by 6-11mm wide. Leaf bud with small narrow gap. Flowers white, in short spike to 5cm long. Anthers pale.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: South Island (eastern areas of Fiordland National Park)
Habitat
A subalpine scrub developed on mostly south facing limestone bluffs, outcrops and cliff faces, in and around sink holes and on limestone talus and colluvium, usually at or near the tree limit.
Features
Shrub, often rounded or spreading, to 0.5 m tall. Branches ascending to erect; old stems brown; youngest branchlets green; internodes 2-8 mm long, bifariously eglandular-pubescent. Leaf bud about as long as mature leaves, sinus narrow, acute. Leaves lamina oblong to elliptic, coriaceous or subcoriaceous, m-shaped in transverse section, 12-38 x 5-11 mm; apex subacute and mucronate; base cuneate; midrib thickened beneath and depressed to grooved above; secondary veins not evident; margin entire, translucent, bevelled or rounded, minutely papillate or denticulate; upper surface green or yellowish green, dull, hairy along midrib; lower surface pale green, dull, glabrous. Petiole 3-4 mm long, uniformly eglandular-pubescent. Inflorescences with 15-25 flowers, lateral, racemose, simple or with 1-2 branches at base, 20-50 mm long, about = or > subtending leaves, flowers opening in acropetal sequence, usually all developing to maturity; peduncle 8-10 mm long, eglandular-pubescent; rachis 150 mm long, eglandular pubescent; bracts opposite and decussate at least below, sometimes becoming alternate above, subacute to acute, eglandular-ciliolate, linear to lanceolate; pedicels < bracts, eglandular-pubescent, erecto-patent at flowering and fruiting, 0.5-5.0 mm long. Flowers hermaphrodite. Calyx terete, 4-lobed, equally divided, 2.5-3.5 mm long; lobes all similar, lanceolate to elliptic, obtuse, eglandular-ciliolate; margins scarious. Corolla white; tube glabrous, 1-2 mm long, c.1 mm wide, cylindric, > calyx; lobes glabrous, > tube; posterior lobe circular to elliptic, obtuse, erecto-patent; lateral lobes elliptic or ovate, obtuse, erecto-patent, cuneate at base; anterior lobe ovate, obtuse, patent to recurved, not enfolding style; corolla throat white. Stamens: filaments white, 4-6 mm long; anthers white, c 1.5 mm long. Nectarial disc glabrous. Ovary ovoid, glabrous, 1.7-2.0 mm long, bilocular; style 5-7 mm long, glabrous, white; stigma capitate. Capsules acute, dark brown, 3-4 x 2.5-3.5 mm, glabrous; septicidal split extending to base, loculicidal split extending ¨ù-way to 1/3-way to base; capsule valves with pronounced midrib. Seeds 0.6-1.0 x 0.5-0.8 mm, straw yellow to pale brown.
Similar taxa
Veronica arganthera resembles V. cockayneana from which it differs by its larger, dull green, concolorous leaves, short stem pubescence, very short eglandular hairs on leaf margins (glabrous or glandular-hairy in V. cockayneana), white anthers, and shorter capsules. Veronica arganthera is also similar to V. subalpina However, Veronica subalpina has glossy leaves, lacks a sinus and has strictly simple (unbranched) inflorescence, spiralled flowers, magenta anthers, and larger seeds
Flowering
December - May
Flower colours
White
Fruiting
January - August
Life cycle
Seeds are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Easy from cuttings. However, very slow growing and will not flower in lowland humid climates, where it prone to hebe leaf spot (Septora exotica). Does best in a cool, semi-shaded, free draining situation.
Threats
A narrow range limestone endemic that is known from very few sites and adult plants. It is vulnerable at many sites to deer browsing. Seedlings though common rarely reach maturity due to these browsing animals
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’.
Where To Buy
Not Commerically Available
Attribution
Fact Sheet by Peter J. de Lange (18 August 2006). Description adapted from Garnock-Jones et al. (2000)
References and further reading
Garnock-Jones, P.J.; Bayly, M.J.; Lee, W.G.; Rance, B.D. 2000: Hebe arganthera (Scrophulariaceae), a new species from calcareous outcrops in Fiordland, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 38: 379-388
Thorsen, M. J.; Dickinson, K. J. M.; Seddon, P. J. 2009. Seed dispersal systems in the New Zealand flora. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 11: 285-309
Citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Veronica arganthera Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/veronica-arganthera/ (Date website was queried)