Hebe is a genus of vascular plants that are native to New Zealand, the Falkland Islands, South America and Rapa (French Polynesia). The genus includes approximately 90 taxa maing it New Zealand’s largest plant genus. Hebe rapensis is endemic to Rapa and all other species are native to New Zealand. Two species (Hebe salicifolia and Hebe elliptica) are also found in South America. The genus is named after Hebe, the Greek goddess of youth. Some botanists place Hebe, as well as its related Australasian genera Chionohebe, Derwentia, Detzneria, Parahebe, Heliohebe and Leonohebe, into the larger genus Veronica.
For more information about hebes see*:
- Moore. L.B. 1967. How to look at Hebe. Tuatara: Volume 15, Issue 1, May.
- Hebe Society
- Hebe images (Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture)
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