Flora of New Zealand Series

Veronica montana J. B. Armst. in N.Z. Ctry J. 3, 1879, 58 non L. Cent. Pl. 1, 1755, 3 nec Pallas Reise 2, 1776, 522.

V. monticola J. B. Armst. in T.N.Z.I. 13, 1881, 354 non Trautv. in Bull. Acad. Petersb. 10, 1866, 398.

V. subalpina Ckn. in T.N.Z.I. 31, 1899, 420.

Hebe montana (J. B. Armst.) Ckn. et Allan loc. cit. 31.

Type locality: "Mt. Rangi-Taipo, Westland, alt. 1000 m." Type: A, 8012, L. Cockayne No. 8030, Jan. 1896.

Shrub us. densely branched, 1-2 m. tall. Branchlets rather stout, with narrow bifarious pubescence; length of internodes us. 2-3 × diam., lf-scars remaining rough in old stems. Lvs patent, c. 2.5 cm. × 5-8 mm. where exposed to 4 cm. × 5-9 mm. where sheltered, lanceolate, rather coriac., "bright pale green", more glossy on upper surface, stomata ∞ but obscure on both surfaces; lf-bud without sinus; lamina only slightly narrowed to base, glab. except for minute pubescence above midrib, entire, the margin very smooth and with very narrow cartilaginous translucent border. Infls lateral, simple, 2.5-(5) cm. long; peduncle short, fls crowded. Bracts c. 1·5 mm. long, narrow, ciliolate, c. = pedicels. Calyx-lobes c. 2 mm. long, narrow, acute, ciliolate without pale border. Corolla white, tube us. slightly > calyx, lobes c. 3 mm. long, rounded. Style and ovary glab., stigma us. markedly capitate. Capsule c. 3-4 × 3 mm., rather narrowly ovate, dark when mature and then c. 2.5 × calyx-lobes.

DIST.: S. "Mountains of Westland, and those of Canterbury within the region of western rainfall, at altitude of from 750 to 1200 m." (L. Cockayne) and extending to Fiordland.

FL. 12-1.

V. montana J. B. Armst., described as from "Canterbury Alps, common", is represented in Herb. Armstrong (CM) by one sheet labelled "Rangitata Valley, J. F. A., 1869". The specimens match the description well and the larger, which is selected as the lectotype, has one obscure infl. with old capsules and several young ones without any good fls. A matching Armstrong specimen in Herb. Kirk (W) has no collecting data. The lvs are more coriac. than is usual, and have dried without being pressed flat, but details of stem, lvs, infls and capsules all agree with H. subalpina. Both names used by Armstrong (montana 1879, monticola 1881) were already preoccupied and Cockayne's epithet is the earliest one available.

In specimens from about Arthur Pass the corolla-tube is slightly but definitely > calyx; further south it is us. shorter. There is rather clear evidence of hybridism between H. subalpina and H. rakaiensis where they meet, and along the eastern side of the Alps crossing with other spp. may occur. Many collections from Mt. Cook area with obvious affinities with H. subalpina await resolution.