Veronica lycopodioides
| Veronica lycopodioides | |
|---|---|
| A Whipchord hebe with green branches and white flowers | |
| Veronica lycopodioides on Helicopter Hill, Canterbury | |
| Scientific classification Edit this classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Plantaginaceae |
| Genus: | Veronica |
| Species: | V. lycopodioides
|
| Binomial name | |
| Veronica lycopodioides | |
Veronica lycopodioides, or whipchord hebe, is a species of hebe which is endemic to New Zealand.[2]
Description
[edit | edit source]Veronica lycopodioides is a short, erect shrub with branches whose leaves grow close to the stem, causing the branches themselves to look scaly and green. The leaves are triangular, have a pointed tip, and may have hair on the margin which can be seen with a hand lens. White flowers, in groups of 6–16, burst from the tip of the terminal branches.[2]
The pointed tips of the leaves can be used in the field to distinguish this species from Veronica poppelwellii.[2]
A subspecies, Veronica lycopodioides var. patula, is smaller in most respects.[3]
Distribution and habitat
[edit | edit source]Veronica lycopodioides grows on the South Island of New Zealand, typically to the east of the central spine of the Southern Alps.[2] It grows on penalpine grassland, and in subalpine areas.[2] It may grow on Stewart Island.[4]
It is not currently considered threatened.[1]
Etymology
[edit | edit source]Lycopodioides refers to the similarity of this species to Lycopodium club-mosses.[2]
Taxonomy
[edit | edit source]This species was first published in 1864[4] by Joseph Hooker.[3] The lectotype was designated in 2004, with a specimen from Wairau Valley.[5]
References
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