Veronica birleyi
Common name
Birley’s veronica
Synonyms
Parahebe birleyi (N.E.Br.) W.R.B.Oliv. Parahebe linifolia subsp. brevistylis Garn.-Jones, Veronica colostylis Garn.-Jones, Hebejeebie birleyi (N.E.Br.) Heads
Family
Plantaginaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Chromosome number
2n = 42
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.
2012 | Not Threatened
Previous conservation statuses
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: South Island (Main Divide from Mt Westland to northern Fiordland; also the Remarkables, Eyre and Hector Mountains)
Habitat
High alpine (up to 2900 m a.s.l.). Colonising rock shelves, ledges and crevices.
Features
Subshrub, 20-200 mm tall. Old stems brown to grey. Branches decumbent. Branchlets brown or purplish. Vegetative internodes 2–8 mm long. Stem pubescence uniform, eglandular pubescent (rarely a few glandular hairs also present). Leaves decussate, erecto-patent to spreading. Lamina obovate, 4.0–12.0 × 2.5–11.0 mm. Upper surface of leaves greyish dark green or purple, dull. Under surface of leaves dark green or purple, dull. Leaf hairs dense, on all parts of leaf. Apex obtuse or rounded or retuse or truncate. Base cuneate. Margin ciliate and glandular-ciliate (very few glandular hairs), crenate (deeply). Marginal teeth or lobes in 1–3 pairs. Petiole 0–1 mm long. Inflorescence a solitary flower or a pair of flowers (rarely 3), 0.2–0.6 cm long at fruiting. Indumentum of peduncle, rachis, and pedicels sparse to moderately dense. Eglandular hairs of inflorescence patent, white. Peduncle 2–40 mm long, eglandular-pubescent; hairs all around peduncle. Bracts paired and opposite, obtuse, eglandular-hairy adaxially and eglandular-hairy abaxially (usually with some glandular hairs), spathulate (narrowly). Bract margins entire. Pedicels erecto-patent at anthesis, straight at fruiting, 0.3–1.0 mm long, glabrous or eglandular-pubescent; hairs all around pedicel. Flowers: Calyx 4-lobed, 4–6 mm long. Calyx lobes oblong or elliptic, subacute or obtuse. Calyx hairs on both abaxial and adaxial surfaces, mixed eglandular and glandular. Calyx lobe margins entire. Corolla white at anthesis. Nectar guides absent. Corolla 7–10 mm diameter. Corolla tube 2–3 × 1 mm wide, glabrous. Corolla lobes glabrous. Posterior corolla lobe circular to elliptic, emarginate or divided in two, 3.0–4.0 × 1.8-3.0 mm. Lateral corolla lobes elliptic, obtuse, flat, not enfolding stamens, 4–5 × 4–4.5 mm. Anterior corolla lobe elliptic, obtuse, 4.0–4.5 × 2.5–3.0 mm. Stamen filaments white, 2–3 mm long, not narrowed at base. Anthers pink or magenta or mauve, 1.0–1.5 mm long. Nectarial disc glabrous. Ovary ovoid, acute, glabrous, 1.0–1.5 mm long. Style 1.0–1.5 mm long. Stigma 0.3– 0.4 mm wide. Capsules narrowly angustiseptate, emarginate, 3–4 × 3–4 mm, 0.8–1.0 mm thick, glabrous. Septicidal split of capsule extending ¼ way to base. Loculicidal split of capsule extending ½ way to base. Seeds c.10–15 per locule, strongly flattened, smooth-surfaced, ellipsoid, straw yellow to pale brown, 0.8–1.0 × 0.6–0.7 mm.
Similar taxa
Plants of this species are very similar to Veronica spectabilis which is endemic to the Takitimu Mountains (outside the range of V. birleyi) and which has larger flowers, fewer leaf lobes, more glandular hairs, hairy capsules, and occurs at lower altitudes.
Flowering
November - December
Flower colours
Red/Pink, White
Fruiting
December - March
Propagation technique
Difficult. Should not be removed from the wild.
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 Commercially Available
Attribution
Fact Sheet by P.J. de Lange (5 October 2006). Description adapted from Garnock-Jones and Lloyd (2003).
References and further reading
Garnock-Jones, P.J.; Lloyd, D.G. 2003: A taxonomic revision of Parahebe (Plantaginaceae) in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 42: 181-232.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Veronica birleyi Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/veronica-birleyi/ (Date website was queried)