- Taxon
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- ≡ Hebe tetragona (Hook.) Andersen, Trans. New Zealand Inst. 56: 693 (1926) subsp. tetragona
Branchlets strongly tetragonous to cruciform in cross-section; maximum width of ultimate branches usually 2.8–3.5 (rarely 2.4–4.5) mm; internodes 0.5–1.2 (rarely to 1.6) mm long; lamina usually 2.0–3.2 (rarely 1.8–4.0) mm long; apex sub-acute to acuminate, strongly keeled; edge of leaf at apex forming an angle <90° with adaxial surface and rounded to meet the abaxial surface.
V. tetragona subsp. tetragona plants are generally larger and more robust than plants of subsp. subsimilis . Their leaves are larger (although there is some overlap) more strongly keeled, and elongated at the apex.
North Island: Gisborne (Raukūmara Range), Volcanic Plateau (Mountains of Tongariro National Park, Rangipo desert, Kaimanawa Mountains), southern North Island (Kaweka Range and northern Ruahine Range to Otupae Range).
Sub-alpine shrubland and penalpine grassland. Recorded elevations range from 700 to 1738 m.
Hybrids between V. tetragona subsp. tetragona and V. odora are sometimes found. Such plants have small, elliptic, sub-erect leaves 3–6 mm long (Bayly & Kellow 2006, p. 94).
Flowers: December–February(–April); fruits: (January–)February–May(–November).
2n = 40 (see Bayly & Kellow 2006, as Hebe tetragona subsp. tetragona).