Veronica speciosa
Common names
purple hebe
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
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: RR
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Simplified description
Low growing shrub bearing pairs of oval dark green glossy leathery leaves and spikes of magenta flowers inhabiting coastal areas between the Marlborough Sounds and Northland. Leaves to 100 mm long by 51 mm wide, with fringe of hairs. Leaf bud with small gap at base. Flower spike to 15 cm long.
Flower colours
Red/Pink, Violet/Purple
Detailed description
Spreading to somewhat sprawling shrub up to 2 × 3 m. Branches stout, becoming woody at base, spreading to sprawling, rarely erect, often layering on contact with ground. Branchlets stout, pliant, glabrous, yellow-green to green, internodes variable in length, though much longer than stem diameter. Leaf-bud with distinct sinus, glabrescent. Petiole stout, fleshy 5–20 mm. Leaves numerous, coriaceous, fleshy to almost succulent, glabrescent except of lamina margin, 50–200 × 25–80 mm, dark green, green to yellow-green and glossy above, much paler beneath, broadly elliptic to obovate-oblong or oblong, apex obtuse, often retuse, base obtuse; lamina margin distinctly enlarged, red-pigmented, finely pubescent. Inflorescence a simple, lateral, erect raceme 30–80 × 30–40 mm. Peduncle robust, fleshy, glabrous, 30–50 mm long. Flowers rather fleshy, rather crowded on raceme. Pedicels 2–8 mm, exceeding the bracts. Bracts narrowly subulate, ciliolate. Calyx-lobes 2–3 mm long, greenish-yellow to dark green, subacute, ciliolate. Corolla-tube and lobes dark magenta or red, 4–5 × 3–5 mm, exceeding calyx, lobes 5–6 mm long, obtuse, ciliolate. Capsules stout, robust, 6 × 4 mm, brown to dark brown, broadly ovate, apex acute, coriaceous.
Similar taxa
Unlikely to be confused with other naturally occurring hebe sp. However, its extensive use in horticultural as parental stock for hybridism has resulted in numerous cultivars some of which have been sold, incorrectly, as Veronica speciosa. From the majority of these V. speciosa can be distinguished by its magenta-coloured flowers, and dark green to pale green fleshy leaves which always have a pink-red pigmented, finely hairy leaf margin.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: North Island (formerly from Scots Point to Urenui, now known only on the west coast from outer South Head (Hokianga Harbour), Maunganui Bluff, near Muriwai Beach, at two sites on cliffs west of Aotea Harbour, Mokau), South Island (formerly several sites in the Marlborough Sounds, now at Titirangi Bay (Marlborough sounds). Recently it has been suggested that only the outer South Head, Maunganui Bluff and Muriwai populations are natural, the others resulting from past deliberate cultivation by Māori.
Habitat
Coastal cliffs and headlands, in low windswept scrub and flaxland. Rarely under taller trees.
Threats
Threatened by weed invasion of its coastal habitat, browsing animals, and genetic pollution through planting of other hebe sp. and cultivars in the vicinity of wild populations. DNA based research has discovered that populations south of West Auckland (Muriwai) stem from deliberate past Māori plantings of this attractive red-flowered species (Armstrong & de Lange 2005). These plantings resulted from the movement of a limited amount of material from South Head, Hokianga, and as such these southerly populations lack sufficient genetic variability to sexually maintain themselves.
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Synonyms
Hebe speciosa (A.Cunn.) Andersen, Hebe speciosa (A.Cunn.) Cockayne et Allan nom. superf., nom. illeg.
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
Throughout the year.
Fruiting
Throughout the year.
Life cycle and dispersal
Seeds are wind dispersed (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Easily grown from seed, cuttings and layered stem pieces. Cold sensitive and does best in an open, sunny, exposed place, in free draining soil. A spectacular plant ideal for a coastal property. Plants are rarely without flowers at any time of the year.
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’.
speciosa: Handsome
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: RR
2012 | Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable | Qualifiers: RR
2009 | Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable
2004 | Threatened – Nationally Endangered
Regional conservation statuses
Auckland: 2025 | Regionally Threatened – Regionally Critical | Qualifiers: DPS, DPT, NR
The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Auckland conservation status information is sourced from the “Conservation status of vascular plant species in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland” Simpkins E et al. (2025) report.
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Armstrong TTJ, de Lange PJ. 2005. Conservation genetics of Hebe speciosa (Plantaginaceae) an endangered New Zealand shrub. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 149: 229–239. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8339.2005.00437.x.
Bayly MJ, Kellow AV. 2006. An illustrated guide to New Zealand Hebes. Te Papa Press, Wellington, NZ. 388 p.
Bodley FA. 1961. Hebe speciosa in the Marlborough Sounds. Wellington Botanical Society Bulletin 32: 9.
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 by Peter J. de Lange 1 October 2006. Description based on Bayly & Kellow (2006).
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Veronica speciosa Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/veronica-speciosa/ (Date website was queried)