Flora of New Zealand Series

Veronica lavaudiana Raoul Choix 1846, 16, t. 10.

Type locality: "Akaroa in montosis ad alt. 4-500 metr. circiter". Type: P?; some portions of original collection in K.

Small half-woody shrub to 40 cm. tall, branches decumbent then erect. Branchlets with fine even ± glandular pubescence, length of internodes 2-4 × diam., often much more immediately below infl. and lvs there sts alternate. Lvs spreading, 2-3 cm. × 13-17 mm.; petiole c. 5 mm. long, pubescent, narrowly winged and channelled; lamina obovate to sub-orbicular, obtuse to subacute, ± fleshy, grey-green, minutely pubescent on margins and midrib and when young on both surfaces; margins crenate-dentate, reddish. Infl. terminal, c. 3-(4) cm. long, composed of us. simple pedunculate spikes of crowded sessile fls. Bracts c. 3 mm. long, broad-ovate, acute, ciliolate and with some pubescence on back. Calyx-lobes c. 3·5 mm. long, acute, ciliolate, anterior pair sts fused and a short posterior one us. present. Corolla pinkish lilac, tube and obtuse lobes c. = calyx; style glab., stigma ± lobed. Capsule erect, > calyx, turgid and ± emarginate at tip, sts with some hairs; seeds narrow-oblong.

DIST.: S. Banks Peninsula. Rocky places. Formerly recorded in river-beds of Canterbury Plains.

FL. 10-12.