Veronica colostylis
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Flower colours
Red/Pink, White
Detailed description
Low subshrub, 50-150 mm tall. Old stems brown. Branches decumbent to ascending. Branchlets brown or red-brown or purplish. Vegetative internodes 1-8 mm long. Stem pubescence absent or bifarious, eglandular pubescent. Leaves decussate, erecto-patent to recurved. Lamina linear to oblong (narrowly), 4-15 × 1-3 mm. Upper surface of leaves green, glossy. Under surface of leaves pale green, dull. Leaf hairs sparse to scattered, along margins (especially at base), eglandular. Apex rounded or truncate. Base cuneate. Margin ciliate (especially at base), entire. Petiole 1-3 mm long. Inflorescence racemose, unbranched, 10-40 mm at fruiting, with 2-6 flowers. Indumentum of peduncle, rachis, and pedicels absent. Peduncle 3-20 mm, glabrous. Rachis 0-15 mm long, glabrous. Bracts alternate (basal pair sometimes subopposite), obtuse, glabrous (rarely a few hairs on margin at base), linear to elliptic (narrowly). Bract margins entire. Pedicels erecto-patent at anthesis to suberect at anthesis, incurved at fruiting, 4-15 mm long, glabrous. Flowers: Calyx 4-lobed, 3-9 mm long. Calyx lobes lanceolate to deltoid or elliptic or obovate, subacute to obtuse. Calyx hairs absent (calyx glabrous). Calyx lobe margins entire. Corolla white at anthesis. Nectar guides pink, obscure or absent, confined to posterior corolla lobe if present. Colour ring pink or absent. Corolla throat same colour as lobes. Corolla 5-10 mm diameter. Corolla tube 1.2-3.5 × 1.0-2.0 mm wide, glabrous. Corolla lobes glabrous. Posterior corolla lobe elliptic to ovate, obtuse, 5-7 × 3-5 mm. Lateral corolla lobes elliptic to ovate, subacute to obtuse, flat, not enfolding stamens, 5.0-7.0 × 3.5-5.0 mm. Anterior corolla lobe elliptic (narrowly), subacute, 4.0-7.0 × 2.0-3.5 mm. Stamen filaments white, 1-3 mm long, not narrowed at base. Anthers pink to magenta, 1.0-2.0 mm long. Nectarial disc glabrous. Ovary flattened, globose, obtuse, glabrous, 1-2 mm long. Style 2-4 mm long. Stigma 0.4-0.7 mm wide. Capsules broadly angustiseptate, truncate to emarginate, 3.5-4.0 × 3.5-4.0 mm, glabrous. Septicidal split of capsule extending to base. Loculicidal split of capsule extending ¼-½ way to base. Seeds strongly flattened, smooth-surfaced, ellipsoid, brown, 0.5-0.8 × 0.3-0.6 mm
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: South Island (on both sides of the main divide from Rangitata River to Fiordland and The Hump)
Habitat
Montane to alpine. On cliffs, rock outcrops, river gravel, river banks, moraines and in grassland.
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2023 | Not Threatened
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Parahebe linifolia subsp. brevistylis Garn.-Jones, Parahebe brevistylis (Garn.-Jones) Heads
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
October - December
Fruiting
December - April
Propagation technique
Easily grown from cuttings, rooted pieces and fresh seed. Best in an alpine house, or rock garden. Dislikes humidity and drought intolerant.
Other information
Where To Buy
Not Commercially Available.
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’.
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
VERCLO
Chromosome number
2n = 42
Previous conservation statuses
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | Not Threatened
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Regional conservation statuses
The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Otago conservation status information is sourced from the “Regional conservation status of indigenous vascular plants in Otago” Jarvie S et al. (2024) report.
Otago: 2024 | At Risk – Regionally Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: DPS, DPT, NS, NStr, Sp
Referencing and citations
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: 181-23
Attribution
Fact Sheet by P.J. de Lange (5 October 2006). Description adapted from Garnock-Jones and Lloyd (2003).
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Veronica colostylis Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/veronica-colostylis/ (Date website was queried)