Hebes Guide a New Tool For Conservation - Book Launch
A comprehensive, illustrated work on New Zealand’s largest genus of native plants will be launched this Friday at Otari-Wilton’s Bush Visitor Centre in Wellington. Published by Te Papa Press, An Illustrated Guide to New Zealand Hebes is a new manual for the identification, classification, and biology of the native Hebe and Leonohebe. Mâori names for Hebe are Koromiko, Titirangi or Napuka. These plants are conspicuous in our natural landscape, and authors Michael Bayly and Alison Kellow have described a total of 88 species of Hebe and five of Leonohebe.The book provides keys for the identification of all species, subspecies and varieties. Detailed descriptions of species are accompanied by colour photographs and distribution maps, as well as information on recognition, variation, flowering time, chromosome number, and the etymology of names. As a consequence of their diversity, hebes have gained a reputation for being difficult to study, but this diversity also gives them popularity among horticulturalists; the plants tend to be tolerant of a wide range of conditions and grow easily from cuttings.
Hebes are cultivated throughout the world, but are native primarily to New Zealand. Only 3 Hebe species occur naturally elsewhere; 2 in South America and 1 in French Polynesia. In conservation terms, 9 of the total 88 species of Hebe are considered to be acutely threatened and are management priorities, and a further 26 species are considered at risk.
The book launch will start at 6pm. An Illustrated Guide to New Zealand Hebes by Michael Bayly and Alison Kellow is published by Te Papa Press and available to purchase from all good bookstores RRP $99.99 (hardback) ISBN 0909010129
For more information contact publicist Kathryn Carmody Tel. 04 387 2833 Mob. 027 287 7963 Email: [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
Posted: 07/08/2006