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  4. Veronica scopulorum

Veronica scopulorum

Rock Peak, 1986.<br>Photographer: Peter J. de Lange, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Flowers of Hebe scopulorum.<br>Photographer: Bruce D. Clarkson, Licence: All rights reserved.
Photo taken at Awaroa Scenic Reserve, Kawhia, November.<br>Photographer: Peter J. de Lange, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Hebe scopulorum.<br>Photographer: Mike Bayly, Licence: All rights reserved.
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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

Jump to previous conservation statuses

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

Plantaginaceae

Authority

Veronica scopulorum (Bayly, de Lange et Garn.-Jones) Garn.-Jones

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

Jump to current conservation status

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)

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