Veronica rigidula var. sulcata
Common name
hebe
Synonyms
Hebe rigidula var. sulcata Bayly et Kellow
Family
Plantaginaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
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 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: CD, RR
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: CD, RR
2009 | Threatened – Nationally Critical | Qualifiers: RR, St
2004 | Range Restricted
Brief description
Low bushy shrub bearing pairs of oval leaves inhabiting ultramafic rocks in the Marlborough Sounds. Leaves variable, to 28.2mm long, longer than wide, more or less u-shaped in cross section. Leaf bud with narrow gap at base. Flowers white, on short stalks, in spikes or sprays to 3.2cm long.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: South Island (mainly D’Urville Island but also on Editor Hill and Lookout Peak in the Marlborough Sounds)
Habitat
A plant of montane habitats where it grows in low scrub and other sparsely vegetated sites on rubble slopes, rock outcrops and in and around boulders along the melange of the mineralised zone leading from D’Urville Island south through the Marlborough Sounds to Mt Dun
Features
Low growing, openly branched, bushy shrub 0.3-0.6 m tall. Branches erect, old stems brown; branchlets green, pubescent, hairs bifarious; internodes 1.0-5.5. mm. Leaf bud distinct, weakly tetragonous in cross-section; sinus narrow and acute. Leaves erect to patent; elliptic or broadly elliptic, coriaceous, sulcate (m-shaped in cross-section), 9.4–28.2 × 3.2–8.7 mm, ratio of leaf length to width 2.5–3.5; apex acute or subacute; margin minutely papillate; upper surface green, dull or slightly glossy, glabrous or minutely hairy along midrib (especially toward base); lower surface glaucous or glaucescent; petiole 2.0-3.2 mm long, glabrous or minutely hairy along margins (especially on youngest leaves) and /or rarely hairy above. Inflorescences with 10-40 flowers, lateral, usually tripartite or rarely with more than 3 branches or unbranched, 14-32 mm long, > or < subtending leaves; peduncle 3-12 mm; rachis 7-28 mm. Bracts opposite and decussate, or opposite and decussate below and becoming alternate above, ovate or deltoid, obtuse or subacute. Flowers hermaphrodite. Pedicels < bracts, 0.3–2.0 mm long. Calyx 1.5-2.5 mm; lobes elliptic, oblong or ovate, obtuse or subacute, with mixed glandular/eglandular cilia or wholly eglandular. Corolla tube glabrous 2.5-4.0 × 1.7 mm, cylindric, > calyx; lobes white or pale mauve at anthesis, elliptic, ovate or oblong, obtuse rarely emarginate, suberect to recurved, < corolla tube. Stamen filaments 3-4 mm long; anthers buff or faintly tinged pink, 1.7-2.0 mm. Ovary 0.9-1.0 mm; style 5-7 mm. Capsules obtuse or subacute, 2.4-4.0 × 1.8-2.5 mm, loculicidal split extending ¼-½ way to base. Seeds flattened, ellipsoid, discoid or irregular, brown to pale brown, 0.8-1.6 × 0.7-1.1 mm.
Similar taxa
Closely related to Veronica rigidula var. rigidula from which it differs by its weakly tetragonous leaf bud (in cross section); elliptic to broadly elliptic leaves which are distinctly m-shaped in cross-section; and also by the more distinctly pedicellate flowers.
Flowering
November – February
Flower colours
Violet/Purple, White
Fruiting
December – October
Propagation technique
Easily grown from cuttings. Can be rather slow growing. An attractive shrub though rarely flowers as heavily as Veronica rigidula var. rigidula.
Threats
A Naturally Uncommon, range-restricted endemic which is known from only three main populations. At none of these it is very common. However, there are no obvious threats.
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’.
rigidula: Engraved
sulcata: From the Latin sulcus ‘furrow’, meaning grooved
Where To Buy
Not Commercially Available.
Attribution
Fact Sheet by Peter J. de Lange (1 August 2006). Description modified from: Bayley and Kellow (2006)
References and further reading
Bayly, M.; Kellow, A. 2006: An illustrated guide to New Zealand Hebes. Te Papa Press, Wellington.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Veronica rigidula var. sulcata Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/veronica-rigidula-var-sulcata/ (Date website was queried)