Veronica scopulorum
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Simplified description
Low growing sparse shrub bearing pairs of oval blueish-green leaves inhabiting limestone rocks near Kawhia. Leaves m-shaped in cross section, to 55 mm long by 16 mm wide, with a blunt tip. Leaf bud with small gap between base of leaves and hollowed between ridges in cross section.
Flower colours
Violet/Purple, White
Detailed description
Compact shrub 0.4–0.8 × 0.4–0.8 m. Mature stems black or grey, encased in thick cork; young stems green to brown; leaf scars evident; indument pubescent and bifarious to uniform. Leaf bud as long as mature leaves; sinus evident, narrowly acute to broad. Petiole 2–8 mm. Leaves erecto-patent to patent; lamina linear-elliptic, elliptic to narrowly oblanceolate, subcoriaceous, m-shaped in cross section, 14–80 × 4–16 mm, apex plicate, subacute to acute; base cuneate; upper surface green to dark grebe, glossy, under sides glaucous, dull. Inflorescences 7–40-flowered, 1–5 mm long, lateral, compound, racemose with 1–2 branches at base. Flowers hermaphrodite, pale mauve at anthesis. Calyx 2.3–3.5 mm, 4-lobed; lobes lanceolate, ovate or elliptic. Corolla tube 3–4 × 1.5–2 mm, elliptic, lanceolate or oblong, subacute, suberect. Anthers apiculate, mauve, violet or white. Capsules 3.2–4.5 × 2–3 mm, pale to dark brown.
Similar taxa
Veronica scopulorum is distinct from the much taller V. stricta var. stricta with which it sometimes grows. Veronica stricta var. stricta has larger willow-green lance-shaped leaves and flowers carried on long pendulous racemes.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: North Island (western Waikato, south of Kawhia Harbour where it confined to limestone outcrops at the head waters of the Awaroa River and northern Taumatatotara Range).
Habitat
Confined to exposed limestone bluffs and rock outcrops.
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 – Declining | Qualifiers: DPS, DPT, RR
Threats
Habitat loss through weed invasion, forest degradation and goat and possum browse. Recent field surveys employing abseiling and rock climbing techniques have so far discovered many more plants than had been believed at two of the six main known sites. However, at all sites threats from weeds and browsing animals is continuing unabated.
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Hebe scopulorum Bayly, de Lange et Garn.-Jones
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
(September)–October–(-December)
Fruiting
November–March
Life cycle and dispersal
Seeds are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
The Awaroa koromiko is scarce in cultivation and has proved tricky to maintain being very susceptible to fungal diseases. It dislikes humidity and does best in a free-draining, lime enriched, cool, damp, shady situation.
Other information
Cultivation
Occasionally available from specialist native plant nurseries.
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’.
scopulorum: Grows on cliffs
Chromosome number
2n = 40
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 – Declining | Qualifiers: DP, RR
2012 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: CD, PD, RR
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: CD
2004 | Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Bayly MJ, Kellow AV. 2006. An illustrated guide to New Zealand Hebes. Te Papa Press, Wellington, NZ. 388 p.
Bayly MJ, Kellow AV, Mitchell KA, Markham KR, de Lange PJ, Harper GE, Garnock-Jones PJ, Brownsey PJ. 2002. Descriptions and Flavonoid Chemistry of New Taxa in Hebe sect. Subdistichae (Scrophulariaceae). New Zealand Journal of Botany 40(4): 571–602. https://doi.org/10.1080/0028825X.2002.9512817.
Thorsen MJ, Dickinson KJM, Seddon PJ. 2009. Seed dispersal systems in the New Zealand flora. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 11: 285–309. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ppees.2009.06.001.
Attribution
Fact Sheet Prepared by P.J. de Lange (1 November 2009). Description based on Baylet et al. (2002) (2006) but see also Bayly & Kellow (2006)
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Veronica scopulorum Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/veronica-scopulorum/ (Date website was queried)