Veronica evenosa
Common name
hebe
Synonyms
Hebe evenosa (Petrie) Cockayne et Allan
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.
HEBEVE
Chromosome number
2n = 120
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 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon
2004 | Range Restricted
Brief description
Rounded much-branched bushy shrub bearing pairs of shiny green oval leaves and with round-tipped leaf buds inhabiting Tararua mountains. Leaves 12-28mm long by 4-9mm wide, margin with very small hairs (lens needed). Leaf bud without gap at base. Flower spike to 5cm long.
Distribution
Endemic. North Island - Tararua Ranges, in the areas around Mitre, Mt Holdsworth, Field Hut, Dennan and Mt Hector.
Habitat
Subalpine shrubland, often close to the tree-line.
Features
Bushy shrub (usually with a rounded habit) to 2 m tall. Branches erect, old stems grey to brown; branchlets green, puberulent to pubescent, hairs bifarious to uniform (hairs on decurrencies, when present, often somewhat shorter); internodes 2-9 mm; leaf decurrencies evident. Leaf bud distinct; sinus absent. Leaves usually erecto-patent to patent or recurved (with age); lamina obovate or oblanceolate to elliptic, concave, 12-28 x 4-9 mm; apex obtuse (usually) or subacute (rarely) or shortly apiculate; margin ciliolate; upper surface dark green, ± glossy, glabrous or hairy along midrib; lower surface dull or glossy. Inflorescences with 15-40 flowers, lateral, unbranched, 1.4-5 cm; peduncle 0.5-1.1 cm; rachis 0.8-4 cm. Bracts alternate, narrowly deltoid or lanceolate or elliptic, subacute or acute. Flowers hermaphrodite or female (on different plants). Pedicels longer than or equal to bracts, 0.5-3.3 mm. Calyx 2-2.5 mm, 4-5-lobed (5th lobe small, posterior); lobes ovate or elliptic, obtuse (usually) or subacute. Corolla tube hairy inside; tube of female flowers approximately equalling calyx; tube of female flowers 1.5-2 mm, shorter than calyx; lobes white at anthesis, rhomboid or ovate to elliptic, obtuse, suberect to patent (usually) or recurved, longer than corolla tube, sometimes with a few hairs toward base on inner surface. Stamen filaments 2.5-5 mm; anthers mauve or pink, approximately 0.9-1.2 mm. Ovary approximately 0.9-1.1 mm; ovules 10-12 per locule; style 3-7.2 mm. Capsules obtuse, approximately 3-3.7 x 3-4 mm, loculicidal split extending 1/3-¾-way to base. Seeds flattened (sometimes strongly), broad ellipsoid to discoid, weakly winged, ± smooth, brown, 1.2-1.5 x 1.1-1.3 mm, MR 0.2-0.3 mm.
Flowering
January - February
Flower colours
White
Fruiting
February - April (June)
Life cycle
Seeds are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al., 2009).
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’.
evenosa: From the Latin e- ‘without’ and venosus ‘veins’, meaning without conspicuous veins.
Taxonomic information
Differs from Veronica truncatula, the other small-leaved subalpine member of “Occlusae” from NI, in: habit, with branches highly branched toward the apex, producing a dense canopy (Fig. 80A); usually smaller, oblanceolate to elliptic (rather than lanceolate to elliptic) leaves; chromosome number; and flavonoid profile. It has not been determined whether differences in anther colour are consistent. The species resembles, and is possibly closely related to, Veronica topiaria, from which it differs most obviously by its non-glaucous leaves. A few collections - for example, by Petrie and Aston and by Sneddon, from the Tararua Range - have larger leaves than generally seen in Veronica evenosa. These specimens could be hybrids with Veronica stricta; this hybrid combination was reported for the area by Druce (1968). However, the extent of variation in leaf size in Veronica evenosa has not been thoroughly assessed, since many herbarium specimens come from the same small populations. The locality, “base of Mt Ruapehu”, is not likely to be correct. There are no other records from this well-collected area, and it is not represented on the distribution map.
Attribution
Description adapted by M. Ward from Bayly & Kellow (2006).
References and further reading
Bayly, M.J., Kellow, A.V. 2006 An illustrated guide to New Zealand Hebes. Wellington, N.Z.: Te Papa press pg. 152
Druce, A. P. (1968). Vascular plants of Mt Holdsworth, Tararua Range (including Pig Flat) 2500-4835 ft. Unpublished checklist held at Landcare Research, Lincoln, New Zealand.
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
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: Ward, M.D. (Year at time of access): Veronica evenosa Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/veronica-evenosa/ (Date website was queried)