Flora of New Zealand Series

South African buddleia

Large evergreen shrub to c. 5 m high; shoots ± quadrangular when young. Lvs subsessile, 5-16-(20) × 1-3.5-(4.5) cm, lanceolate, bullate, with white or greyish felt-like indumentum beneath, dark green and glabrous above except when young, denticulate; base subcordate or cordate; apex acuminate; stipules 2-8 mm long, reflexed, foliaceous. Panicles terminal, to almost 15 cm long, pyramidal; peduncles and calyx with dense white indumentum. Fls sessile, very fragrant. Calyx 2-2.5 mm long; lobes imbricate, ovate, obtuse. Corolla tube 6-7 mm long, densely white-tomentose outside; lobes 2-2.5 mm long, ± oblong, mauve with orange eye, tomentose outside, bearded towards base inside. Stamens inserted near apex of tube, included; filaments hairy, free part < anthers. Style not reaching anthers, glabrous or nearly so; stigmas green. Capsule 2-3 mm long, subglobose, tomentose.

N.; S.

South Africa 1958

occasional in the proximity of settled areas, but not fully naturalised.

FL Jun-Sep.

Mature frs and viable seeds are apparently uncommon, probably because the sp. is represented in N.Z. by only a few clones. The evergreen sage-like lvs and winter and early spring flowering time easily distinguish it from any other sp. in cultivation. A small-leaved form of B. salvifolia is rare in cultivation, but not naturalised, and also flowers in late spring. B. salvifolia is very commonly cultivated through most of N.Z. and many garden hedges are composed of it.