Flora of New Zealand Series

Veronica laevis Benth. in DC. Prodr. 10, 1846, 461 non Lam. Fl. fr. 2, 1778, 444.

V. venustula Col. in T.N.Z.I. 27, 1895, 393.

V. azurea (azunea) Col. in T.N.Z.I. 31, 1899, 277 non Link Enum. Hort. berol. 1, 1821, 22.

Hebe laevis (Benth.) Ckn. et Allan in T.N.Z.I. 57, 1926, 26.

Type locality: Eastern side of Ruahine Range. Type: A, 7891, A. Olsen, Decr. 1893.

Erect bushy shrub to 1·5 m. tall. Branchlets bifariously pubescent, length of internodes 1-2 × diam. Lvs ± spreading, sts distichous, 1-2 cm. × 3-6 mm., elliptic-oblong, subcoriac., bright-green and smooth above, dull with ∞ stomata beneath; lf-bud with long narrow sinus, the lamina cuneately narrowed into short, scarcely winged petiole; lamina acute, entire, glab. except for minute hairs on ± bevelled margin, those towards base glandular. Infls lateral, simple or with 1-2 pairs of side branches, to 3∙5 cm. long; peduncle < adjacent lvs, sparsely pubescent. Bracts narrow, sparingly ciliolate, lowest to 3 mm. long, = pedicels in fl. Calyx-lobes c. 2∙5 mm. long, narrow, subacute to obtuse in same fl., ciliolate on membr. margin. Corolla white, tube rather > calyx especially in lower fls, lobes > tube. Capsule erect, c. 5 × 3∙5 mm., glab., > 2 × calyx.

DIST.: N. Mountains from Hikurangi to Volcanic Plateau and Cape Palliser but not known in Tararua Range. S. Nelson Mts? Subalpine scrub.

FL. 12-2.

The type is labelled in Colenso's hand, and is accompanied by his rough pencil notes. There is a closely matching specimen in K.

V. laevis Benth. was based on specimens in Herb. Hooker from "Nova Zeelandia" collected by Colenso and by Bidwill. Type: K, Colenso 4060, "Ruahine Mts." A specimen with the same number is in Herb. Colenso in W.

V. azurea Col. was published as "Veronica azunea , sp. nov.  (non Link.)" from "Ruahine Mountain-range, east side; February, 1898: Mr. H. Hill". Type: W, 5316 in Herb. Colenso, labelled in Cheeseman's hand "Veronica laevis Benth., Ruahine Range, H. Hill. Type of V. azurea, Colenso".