Classification
Class
Magnoliopsida Brongn.
Order
Lamiales Bromhead
Family
Plantaginaceae Juss.
Genus
Veronica L.
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Veronica tetragona subsp. subsimilis (Colenso) Garn.-Jones in Garnock-Jones et al., Taxon 56: 579-580 (2007)
Synonymy:
  • ≡ Veronica subsimilis Colenso, Trans. & Proc. New Zealand Inst. 31: 278 (1899)
  • ≡ Hebe subsimilis (Colenso) Ashwin in Allan, Fl. New Zealand 1, 929 (1961)
  • ≡ Leonohebe subsimilis (Colenso) Heads, Bot. Soc. Otago Newsl. 5: 9 (1987)
  • ≡ Hebe hectorii subsp. subsimilis (Colenso) Wagstaff & Wardle, New Zealand J. Bot. 37: 33 (1999)
  • ≡ Hebe tetragona subsp. subsimilis (Colenso) Bayly & Kellow, Illustr. Guide New Zealand Hebes 321 (2006)
Type: Ruahine Range, H. Hill, Herb. Colenso, WELT 5342
  • = Veronica astonii Petrie, Trans. New Zealand Inst. 40: 288 (1908)
  • ≡ Hebe astonii (Petrie) Cockayne & Allan, Trans. New Zealand Inst. 57: 39 (1926)
  • ≡ Hebe subsimilis var. astonii (Petrie) M.B.Ashwin in Allan, Fl. New Zealand 1, 930 (1961)
  • ≡ Leonohebe subsimilis var. astonii (Petrie) Heads, Bot. Soc. Otago Newsl. 5: 9 (1987)
Lectotype (designated by Ashwin, in Allan 1961): Tararuas, Mt Hector, D. Petrie, 29 Jan 1907, WELT 5307. Isolectotype: AK 8191
Etymology:
The epithet subsimilis means somewhat similar, a reference to its similarity to V. tetragona.
Vernacular Name(s):
whipcord hebe
 Description

Branchlets weakly to strongly tetragonous in cross-section; maximum width of ultimate branches 1.8–3.0 mm; internodes 0.5–1.5 mm long; lamina usually 1.4–2.5 mm long; apex sub-acute or acute, not keeled or keeled; edge of leaf at apex forming a 90° angle with adaxial surface and rounded to meet the abaxial surface.

 Recognition

V. tetragona subsp. subsimilis plants are generally smaller and less robust than plants of subsp. tetragona . Their leaves are smaller (although there is some overlap), less strongly keeled, and more rounded at the apex and shaped like the bow of a boat in side view.

 Distribution

North Island: Taranaki (Pouakai Range and Ruahine Range only), southern North Island (Ruahine Range, Tararua Range).

Veronica tetragona subsp. subsimilis distribution map based on databased records at AK, CHR & WELT. Image: K.Boardman © Landcare Research 2022 CC-BY 4.0
Veronica tetragona subsp. subsimilis distribution map based on databased records at AK, CHR & WELT. Image: K.Boardman © Landcare Research 2022 CC-BY 4.0
 Habitat

Sub-alpine shrubland and penalpine grassland. Recorded elevations range from 762 to 1707 m.

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Endemic)
 Hybridisation

Hybrids between V. tetragona subsp. subsimilis and V. odora are sometimes found. These plants have small, elliptic, sub-erect leaves 3–6 mm long.

 Phenology

Flowers: December–February(–April); fruits: (January–)February–May(–November).

 Cytology

2n = 40 (see Bayly & Kellow 2006, as Hebe tetragona subsp. subsimilis).

 Images
Veronica tetragona subsp. subsimilis. Branchlet. Scale = 1 mm. Image: W.M. Malcolm © Te Papa CC-BY-NC 3.0 NZ
Veronica tetragona subsp. subsimilis. Branchlet. Scale = 1 mm. Image: W.M. Malcolm © Te Papa CC-BY-NC 3.0 NZ
Veronica tetragona subsp. subsimilis. Close-up of leaves showing evident nodal joints. Scale = 1 mm. Image: W.M. Malcolm © Te Papa CC-BY-NC 3.0 NZ
Veronica tetragona subsp. subsimilis. Close-up of leaves showing evident nodal joints. Scale = 1 mm. Image: W.M. Malcolm © Te Papa CC-BY-NC 3.0 NZ
Veronica tetragona subsp. subsimilis. Terminal infructescence and capsules. Scale = 1 mm. Image: W.M. Malcolm © Te Papa CC-BY-NC 3.0 NZ
Veronica tetragona subsp. subsimilis. Terminal infructescence and capsules. Scale = 1 mm. Image: W.M. Malcolm © Te Papa CC-BY-NC 3.0 NZ
Veronica tetragona subsp. subsimilis. Terminal inflorescence and flowers. Scale = 1 mm. Image: W.M. Malcolm © Te Papa CC-BY-NC 3.0 NZ
Veronica tetragona subsp. subsimilis. Terminal inflorescence and flowers. Scale = 1 mm. Image: W.M. Malcolm © Te Papa CC-BY-NC 3.0 NZ
 Bibliography
Bayly, M.J.; Kellow, A.V. 2006: An Illustrated Guide to New Zealand Hebes. Te Papa Press, Wellington.
Cockayne, L.; Allan, H.H. 1926: The present taxonomic status of the New Zealand species of Hebe. Transactions of the New Zealand Institute 57: 11–47.
Colenso, W. 1899: Phænogams: A description of a few more newly discovered indigenous plants; being a further contribution towards the making known the botany of New Zealand. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 31: 266–281.
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Barkla J.W.; Courtney, S.P.; Champion, P.D.; Perrie, L.R.; Beadel, S.N.; Ford, K.A.; Breitwieser, I.; Schönberger, I.; Hindmarsh-Walls, R.; Heenan, P.B.; Ladley, K. 2018: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017. New Zealand Threat Classification Series. No. 22. [Not Threatened]
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Champion, P.D.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Norton, D.A.; Hitchmough, R.A. 2013: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 3. Department of Conservation, Wellington. [as Hebe tetragona subsp. subsimilis (Colenso) Bayly & Kellow] [Not Threatened]
Garnock-Jones, P.J. 2023: Veronica. In: Breitwieser, I. (ed.) Flora of New Zealand – Seed Plants. Fascicle 9. Manaaki Whenua Press, Lincoln.
Garnock-Jones, P.J.; Albach, D.; Briggs, B.G. 2007: Botanical names in Southern Hemisphere Veronica (Plantaginaceae): sect. Detzneria, sect. Hebe, and sect. Labiatoides. Taxon 56: 571–582.
Heads, M. 1987: New names in New Zealand Scrophulariaceae. Botanical Society of Otago Newsletter 5: 4–11.
Petrie, D. 1908: Account of a Visit to Mount Hector, a High Peak of the Tararuas, with List of Flowering-plants. Transactions of the New Zealand Institute 40: 289–304.
Wagstaff, S.J.; Wardle, P. 1999: Whipcord Hebes - systematics, distribution, ecology and evolution. New Zealand Journal of Botany 37(1): 17–39.