Veronica melanocaulon
Common names
Martin’s parahebe
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Flower colours
Violet/Purple, White
Detailed description
Subshrub to 250 mm tall. Stems grey. Branches prostrate to decumbent. Branchlets red-brown to dark purplish. Vegetative internodes 5–40 mm long. Stems bifariously eglandular-pubescence or glabrous. Leaves spreading to recurved. Lamina oblanceolate, obovate, elliptic, 5-35 × 2-15 mm. Upper surface of leaves dull, green, under surface of leaves dull, pale green. Leaf hairs dense, along midrib above and on petiole (upper surface only), eglandular. Apex subacute, obtuse, rounded. Base cuneate. Margin glabrous, serrate, teeth or lobes in 1-5 pairs. Petiole 1–4 mm long. Inflorescence racemose, 6-30-flowered, unbranched, 70-210 mm long at fruiting. Indumentum of peduncle, rachis, and pedicels moderately dense, or glabrous. Peduncle 35-100 mm long, glabrous or eglandular-pubescent (rarely) or glandular-pubescent. Rachis 35-110 mm long, eglandular-pubescent, glandular-pubescent or glabrous. Bracts alternate, linear to lanceolate, obtuse to acute, margins entire, glandular ciliate or glabrous. Pedicels 6-17 mm long, glandular-pubescent, eglandular-pubescent or glabrous. Flowers white or mauve at anthesis; nectar guides evident or obscure, magenta or pink, confined to posterior corolla lobe, colour ring magenta or pink, corolla throat yellow. Calyx 4(-5) lobed, 2.5-4.5 mm long, lobes lanceolate, elliptic or oblanceolate, acuminate to subacute, margins entire, glabrous or with glandular hairs on margins only. Corolla 7-13 mm diameter; tube 1.0-1.5 × 1.0-1.5 mm, hairy inside, hairs short. Stamen filaments white, 3.5–4 mm long, narrowed at base. Anthers pink or mauve, 1.0-1.1 mm long. Nectarial disc sparsely ciliolate or glabrous. Ovary globose, subacute, glabrous, 1.0-1.3 mm long. Style 3.0-5.0 mm long. Capsules weakly flattened, emarginate to didymous, 3.0-4.3 × 3.0-4.0 mm, 1.5–1.7 mm thick, glabrous. Septicidal split of capsule extending ¾-way or to base. Loculicidal split of capsule extending ¼-½-way to base. Seeds ellipsoid or discoid, pale brown to dark brown, 0.7-1.2 × 0.5-1.0 mm
Similar taxa
Veronica melanocaulon is allied to V. lanceolata from which it is easily distinguished by the prostrate creeping rather than prostrate to erect growth habit; usually dark red-brown, purplish to almost purple-black rather than brown or reddish stems which are in stark contrast to the pale green petioles rather than scarcely contrasting at all; and by the obovate, oblanceolate, rarely elliptic rather than ovate, lanceolate to linear leaves which are broadest above ½-way rather than at or below ½-way. Veronica melanocaulon grows outside the range of V. lanceolata.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: South Island (Marlborough (Seaward Kaikoura Mountains from Waima River to Mt Terako and Mason River; Inland Kaikoura Mountains; Wairau Mountains (Spray River)).
Habitat
Lowland to montane. Mostly riparian, growing in gorges and along braided or boulder-choked rivers and stream banks. Also on mostly shaded limestone and greywacke cliffs
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 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR, Sp
Threats
Naturally Uncommon, Range Restricted endemic - locally common but known from only a small number of populations scattered over a large area. No threats have been reported though some of its river habitats are being threatened by invasive weeds.
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Parahebe catarractae subsp. martinii Garn.-Jones; Parahebe martinii (Garn.-Jones) Garn.-Jones;
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
October - March
Fruiting
November - September
Propagation technique
Easily grown from fresh seed, cuttings and rooted pieces. However often difficult to maintain. Best grown in a pot although it appears to require frequent re-potting. Dislikes humid climates.
Other information
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’.
melanocaulon: Black stemmed
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 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR, Sp
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR, Sp
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon
2004 | Range Restricted
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: 181-232
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 melanocaulon Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/veronica-melanocaulon/ (Date website was queried)