Veronica topiaria (L.B.Moore) Garn.-Jones

Based on: P.J. Garnock-Jones (2023)

Veronica topiaria. Habit of a flowering plant. Cobb Valley, Nelson. Image: P.J. Garnock-Jones © P.J. Garnock-Jones CC-BY-NC 3.0 NZ

Classification

Class

Magnoliopsida Brongn.

Order

Lamiales Bromhead

Family

Plantaginaceae Juss.

Genus

Veronica L.

Nomenclature

Scientific Name:

Veronica topiaria (L.B.Moore) Garn.-Jones in Garnock-Jones et al., Taxon 56: 580 (2007)

Synonymy:

≡ Hebe topiaria L.B.Moore in Allan, Fl. New Zealand 1, 917 (1961)

Holotype: Mt Arthur Tableland, Nelson, common at Cundy’s Creek, etc., F. G. Gibbs (no. 576 to T. F. Cheeseman), July 1910 to T. F. C., CHR 76137. Isotype: AK 8051

Etymology:

The epithet topiaria is derived from Latin topiarius, ornamental gardening, and refers to the neat habit of the plants, as if clipped. Topiary is the practice of trimming shrubs into shapes.

Description

Shrub, often neatly rounded, to 1.2 m (rarely to 2.0 m) tall. Stems erect, eglandular-pubescent; hairs usually bifarious or rarely uniform. Leaf bud distinct, its leaves appressed at margins until fully grown; sinus absent. Leaves opposite-decussate, erect to erecto-patent; lamina coriaceous, narrowly elliptic to elliptic to obovate, 5–23 mm long, 3–8 mm wide, dull glaucous to glaucescent above, glaucous beneath; midrib and sometimes 2 secondary veins evident; surfaces glabrous except for eglandular hairs along midrib; margin minutely papillate or rarely ciliate, entire; apex obtuse to acute to apiculate; base cuneate; petiole absent or indistinct and broadly winged, 0–1 mm long. Inflorescence a lateral raceme, 10–40 mm long; flowers crowded, 9–33, female or bisexual on separate plants, ⚥ > ♀; bracts alternate or lowest pair opposite, elliptic to narrowly deltoid, ≥pedicels; pedicels erecto-patent, 0.5–2.5 mm long, eglandular-pubescent all around. Calyx lobes 4, obtuse to acute, 1.5–2.5 mm long, equal, mixed glandular- and eglandular-ciliolate. Corolla 4.0–7.5 mm diameter; tube white, 1.5–2.5 mm long, ≥calyx, eglandular-hairy inside; lobes 4, white, erecto-patent to spreading, sub-equal, elliptic to orbicular, 2.5–4.0 mm long, obtuse or rounded; nectar guides absent. Stamen filaments white, 3–6 mm long; anthers magenta. Style glabrous, 3.5–6.5 mm long. Capsules latiseptate, sub-acute, glabrous, 4–5 mm long, 2.5–3.5 mm at widest point. Seeds discoid to ellipsoid or irregular, flattened, smooth, brown, 1.2–2.0 mm long.

Recognition

V. topiaria plants can be distinguished from almost all other species by the combination of their neat, rounded habit, small, glaucous leaves, and absence of a sinus in the vegetative bud.

V. glaucophylla plants can have similar leaves and also lack a sinus, but usually have more open branching, corolla tubes shorter than the calyx, and hairy ovaries and capsules.

Distribution

South Island: Western Nelson, Sounds Nelson, Marlborough, Westland (from near Boulder Lake in the north-west, Richmond Range in the north-east, and Amuri Pass and Poplars Range in the south).

Veronica topiaria distribution map based on databased records at AK, CHR & WELT. Image: K.Boardman © Landcare Research 2022 CC-BY 4.0

Habitat

Shrubland and tussock grassland above tree line. Recorded elevations range from 762 to 1462 m.

Biostatus

Indigenous (Endemic)

Phenology

Flowers: December–February, sometimes to April; fruits: February–May.

Cytology

2n = 122 (see Bayly & Kellow 2006, as Hebe topiaria).

Notes

Veronica topiaria is classified in V. subg. Pseudoveronica sect. Hebe and the informal group “Occlusae” (Albach & Meudt 2010; Bayly & Kellow 2006).

Images

Veronica topiaria. Habit. Mt Arthur, Nelson. Image: M.J. Bayly © Te Papa CC-BY-NC 3.0 NZ

Veronica topiaria. Sprig. Scale = 10 mm. Image: P.J. Garnock-Jones © P.J. Garnock-Jones CC-BY-NC 3.0 NZ

Veronica topiaria. Portion of young stem showing bifarious pubescence. Scale = 1 mm. Image: P.J. Garnock-Jones © P.J. Garnock-Jones CC-BY-NC 3.0 NZ

Veronica topiaria. Leaf bud with no sinus. Scale = 1 mm. Image: W.M. Malcolm © Te Papa CC-BY-NC 3.0 NZ

Veronica topiaria. Leaf surfaces, adaxial (left) and abaxial (right). Scale = 1 mm. Image: W.M. Malcolm © Te Papa CC-BY-NC 3.0 NZ

Veronica topiaria. Close-up of leaf showing glabrous margin and hairs along midrib. Scale = 1 mm. Image: W.M. Malcolm © Te Papa CC-BY-NC 3.0 NZ

Veronica topiaria. Inflorescence with visiting fly. Scale = 1 mm. Image: P.J. Garnock-Jones © P.J. Garnock-Jones CC-BY-NC 3.0 NZ

Bibliography

Albach, D.C.; Meudt, H.M. 2010: Phylogeny of Veronica in the Southern and Northern Hemispheres based on plastid, nuclear ribosomal and nuclear low-copy DNA. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 54: 457–471.

Allan, H.H. 1961: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. I. Indigenous Tracheophyta: Psilopsida, Lycopsida, Filicopsida, Gymnospermae, Dicotyledones. Government Printer, Wellington.

Bayly, M.J.; Kellow, A.V. 2006: An Illustrated Guide to New Zealand Hebes. Te Papa Press, Wellington. [as Hebe topiaria L.B.Moore]

de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Barkla J.W.; Courtney, S.P.; Champion, P.D.; Perrie, L.R.; Beadel, S.N.; Ford, K.A.; Breitwieser, I.; Schönberger, I.; Hindmarsh-Walls, R.; Heenan, P.B.; Ladley, K. 2018: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017. New Zealand Threat Classification Series. No. 22. [Not Threatened]

de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Champion, P.D.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Norton, D.A.; Hitchmough, R.A. 2013: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 3. Department of Conservation, Wellington. [as Hebe topiaria L.B.Moore] [Not Threatened]

Garnock-Jones, P.J. 2023: Veronica. In: Breitwieser, I. (ed.) Flora of New Zealand – Seed Plants. Fascicle 9. Manaaki Whenua Press, Lincoln.

Garnock-Jones, P.J.; Albach, D.; Briggs, B.G. 2007: Botanical names in Southern Hemisphere Veronica (Plantaginaceae): sect. Detzneria, sect. Hebe, and sect. Labiatoides. Taxon 56: 571–582.