Veronica cryptomorpha
Common name
hebe
Synonyms
Hebe cryptomorpha Bayly, Kellow, G.Harper et Garn.-Jones
Family
Plantaginaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
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.
HEBCRY
Chromosome number
2n = 40
Current conservation status
The threat classification 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) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website 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. Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – a suggested threat classification status has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | Not Threatened
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Brief description
Bushy rounded shrub bearing pairs of oval leaves that are paler underneath inhabiting mountains near the Wairau River in Marlborough. Twigs and upper surface of central vein finely hairy (lens needed). Leaf bud with small gap between base of leaves. Flower spike not branched, to 4cm long.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: South Island (Marlborough and Nelson, primarily on mountains of the Wairau River catchment)
Habitat
Subalpine shrubland and tussock grassland, usually in shallow mountain soils or on rock strewn ground, rubble slopes, on rock outcrops or cliff faces within river gorges and ravines.
Features
Shrub or rounded shrub, to 1.2 m tall. Branches erect; old stems light to very dark brown, or red-brown (chocolate); youngest branchlets brown (usually), or green; internodes 1-10 mm long; stem pubescence bifarious, eglandular. Leaf bud about as long as mature leaves; sinus broad and acute. Leaves decussate, erecto-patent to patent; lamina oblanceolate, lanceolate or elliptic, fleshy or slightly thin, 7–33 × 3–9 mm; apex acute or subacute; base cuneate; evident venation in fresh leaves consisting of midrib only; midrib thickened beneath and depressed to grooved above; margin not thickened, rounded (or squarish), minutely papillate, mostly entire; upper surface green, dull or slightly glossy, hairy along midrib; lower surface light green or glaucous or glaucescent, dull, with many stomata. Petiole 1–6 mm long, hairy above (along midrib). Inflorescences with 5–17 flowers, lateral, racemose and mostly unbranched, 12–37 mm long, = to > subtending leaves; peduncle 2–1.3 mm long, pubescent; rachis 8–31 mm long; bracts almost always opposite and decussate, free (usually) or connate (sometimes very shortly, especially near base of inflorescence), acute, subacute or obtuse, ciliolate, lanceolate or ovate or deltoid; pedicels < or corolla tube, glabrous; ovate to elliptic, obtuse, patent to recurved, with margin and apex flat; corolla throat white. Stamen filaments white 3.5–5.5 mm long; anthers obtuse or shortly apiculate, dark pink or purplish mauve, 1.9–2.4 mm long. Nectarial disc glabrous. Ovary ovoid, glabrous or sparsely eglandular hairy, 1.5–2.1 mm long; style 3.00–6.50 × c.0.15–0.25 mm thick, glabrous or with sparse multicellular hairs (especially toward base), white; stigma subcapitate, white, yellow or green at anthesis, 0.25–0.35 mm wide. Capsules latiseptate, obtuse or subacute, pale to dark brown, 3.0–4.0 × 2.4–2.8 mm wide, glabrous or with sparse eglandular, multicellular hairs, loculicidal split extending ¼–½ way to base.
Similar taxa
Veronica cryptomorpha is most similar to V. simulans and V. cockayneana from both of which it is mostly distinguished tetraploid chromosome number (2n = 40; 2n = 80 in V. simulans and 2n = 120 in V. cockayneana). From Veronica cockayneana it can be distinguished in the field by its oblanceolate leaves and from V. simulans by its longer, narrower leaves.
Flowering
October - December
Flower colours
Red/Pink, White
Fruiting
December - April
Life cycle
Seeds are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Easily grown from cuttings and fresh seed. An attractive shrub for a rock garden. Dislikes humidity, and often will not flower at lower altitudes.
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 (28 November 2006): Description from Bayly and Kellow (2006)
References and further reading
Bayly, M.J. et al. 2002: Descriptions and flavonoid chemistry of new taxa in Hebe sect. Subdistichae (Scrophulariaceae). New Zealand Journal of Botany 40: 571–602
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
Seeds are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al., 2009). |
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Veronica cryptomorpha Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/veronica-cryptomorpha/ (Date website was queried)