Flora of New Zealand Series

Veronica spathulata Benth. in DC. Prodr. 10, 1846, 477.

V. vulcanica Col. in T.N.Z.I. 20, 1888, 203.

V. subrosulata Col. in T.N.Z.I. 31, 1899, 278.

Type locality: Mt. Tongariro. Type: K, 78 Bidwill.

Prostrate much-branched subshrub forming dense to open patches up to 25 cm. diam.; main root very stout, branched, deeply descending; stems prostrate to decumbent, woody, us. rooting below, with short, ascending, densely white-hairy branchlets up to c. 10 cm. long. Lvs us. crowded, white-hairy on both surfaces or rarely completely glab., black when dry; lamina 2-8 × 2-10 mm., ± suborbicular in outline, obtuse, crenate, narrowed rather abruptly into broad canaliculate petiole 3-5 mm. long. Racemes 2-7-fld, densely white-hairy in all parts; peduncles 5-15-(20) mm. long; bracts opp., up to c. 5 mm. long, subfoliaceous, spathulate; pedicels c. 3 mm. long, us. < bracts. Calyx 4-5 mm. long, lobes oblong, obtuse, c. 3 mm. long, densely white-hairy. Corolla white or occ. lavender, 7-8 mm. long; tube cylindric, < or = calyx; lobes 4, unequal, rounded, = or > tube. Capsule c. 3 × 5 mm., < or = calyx, broad-obcordate, ± compressed, white-hairy.

DIST.: N. Mountains of Volcanic Plateau; Kaweka, Kaimanawa and Ruahine Ranges. Screes and scoria slopes to 2000 m. altitude.

FL. 1-3. FT. 2-4.

Cockayne (Veg. N.Z. ed. 2, 1928, 291) notes: "A prostrate herb or perhaps semi-woody plant forming a close soft mat upon the ground composed of flexible, decumbent stems branching freely near their extremities; the leaves are small, hairy, soft and thick; the root of extraordinary length giving off many close, more slender secondary roots: and the flowers large, for size of plant, white and produced in the greatest profusion (Fig. 62)."