Flora of New Zealand Series

Veronica salicifolia var. atkinsonii Ckn. in T.N.Z.I. 48, 1916, 200.

Hebe salicifolia var. atkinsonii (Ckn.) Ckn. et Allan in T.N.Z.I. 57, 1926, 18.

Original localities: "Wellington-vicinity of Cook Strait. Marlborough-from the Sounds to the mouth of the Awatere River".

Openly branched, sts quite heavily wooded, shrub to 2 m. or more tall. Lvs c. 5-10 cm. long, narrow-elliptic to linear-lanceolate, us. not acuminate. Bracts and calyx-lobes ciliolate only. Capsules glab., often erect.

DIST.: N., S. From c. lat. 40° (probably further north on the east side of the divide) to lat. 42°. Common, especially on banks.

Cockayne's description is composite to cover both the prostrate broad-lvd plant of exposed Wellington coasts (here referred to  var. macroura) and the tall shrub of Wellington City and Marlborough Sounds. No type has been found, the only specimen labelled " var. atkinsonii" by Cockayne having been collected long after the name and description were published (W 5313 Whangamoa Harbour, on rock, L. Cockayne 4/xii/23). As to the intent of the author, it is quite clear that at the time of publication as well as later the name atkinsonii was meant to apply to "the common, perhaps the sole variety of southern Wellington and the Marlborough Sounds" (Cockayne and Allan, loc. cit.).

Veronica salicifolia var. angustissima Ckn. in T.N.Z.I. 50, 1918, 184. Distinguishing characters listed are: "Linear-lanceolate thin leaves ± 10 cm. long by ± 10 mm. broad, slender racemes ± 17 cm. long with flowers rather distant, the rhachis and pedicels most minutely pubescent, the deeply-cut calyx almost as long as the corolla-tube with long narrow lanceolate acute segments, the white corolla, and the far-exserted purple anthers". "Otaki Gorge, base of Tararua Mountains, on more or less stony ground. L. C." No type has been found. Narrow lvs are found on plants of the Otaki gorge and elsewhere, but it has not been possible to delimit a distinct narrow-lvd lowland var.

In other places northwards from Wellington and at increasing altitudes plants ± divergent from those nearer Cook Strait sts display considerable uniformity within limited areas but no acceptable taxonomic units except the following have been recognized.