Veronica pubescens is a species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae. The plant has three known subspecies: Veronica pubescens subsp. pubescens (the Coromandel koromiko) Veronica pubescens subsp. rehuarum (Great Barrier koromiko) and Veronica pubescens subsp. sejuncta (the Mokohinau koromiko). The species is endemic to New Zealand, with subspecies found on the Coromandel Peninsula, Great Barrier Island and the Mokohinau Islands respectively.
| Veronica pubescens | |
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| Veronica pubescens subsp. pubescens | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Plantaginaceae |
| Genus: | Veronica |
| Species: | V. pubescens
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| Binomial name | |
| Veronica pubescens | |
| Synonyms | |
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Taxonomy
editThe species was described by George Bentham in 1846, based on observations made by Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander during the First voyage of James Cook in 1769.[1][2] The holotype was collected from "Opurangi" (Mercury Bay), and is held in the collections of the British Museum (BM 603447).[3] In 1926, Leonard Cockayne and Harry Allan recombined the species as a member of the genus Hebe, meaning that the plant became referred to as Hebe pubescens.[4][3] A 2004 paper by Michael James Bayly and Alison Kellow on the revision of the genus Hebe led to the original name, Veronica pubescens, being reinstated.[5]
In 2003, morphological differences between three populations of the species led to the creation of three subspecies: Veronica pubescens subsp. pubescens found on the Coromandel Peninsula, Veronica pubescens subsp. rehuarum on Great Barrier Island, and Veronica pubescens subsp. sejuncta, found on the Mokohinau Islands and Little Barrier Island.[3]
Description
editVeronica pubescens is a bushy shrub that grows up to 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in height.[6] Veronica pubescens subsp. pubescens has longer leaf hairs than the other two subspecies, while Veronica pubescens subsp. rehuarum has shorter leaf hairs and leaves that are broadest below the midpoint. Veronica pubescens subsp. sejuncta can be identified due to having leaver broader above the midpoint.[6]
Distribution and habitat
editThe species is endemic to New Zealand. Veronica pubescens subsp. pubescens is found on the Coromandel Peninsula, Veronica pubescens subsp. rehuarum on Great Barrier Island, and Veronica pubescens subsp. sejuncta, found on the Mokohinau Islands and Little Barrier Island.[3] The plants typically live in open coastal areas or scrublands, on rock outcrops and cliffs, and inland in areas of regenerating forest.[6]
Gallery
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Veronica pubescens subsp. rehuarum type specimen from the herbarium of Auckland War Memorial Museum -
Veronica pubescens subsp. rehuarum -
Veronica pubescens subsp. sejuncta type specimen from the herbarium of Auckland War Memorial Museum
_Cockayne_and_Allan_(AM_AK285153).jpg)
_Cockayne_and_Allan_(AM_AK285152).jpg)
References
edit- ^ Alphonse Pyramus de Candolle, ed. (8 April 1846), Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis [...] Pars decima: Sistens Borragineas proprie dictas et Scrophulariaceas ; cum indice nominum et Synonymorum voluminum I - X (in Latin), vol. 10, Paris, Leipzig: Victor Masson, Wikidata Q51522709
- ^ Garnock-Jones, Phil; Albach, Dirk; Briggs, Barbara G. (May 2007). "Botanical Names in Southern Hemisphere Veronica (Plantaginaceae): Sect. Detzneria, Sect. Hebe, and Sect. Labiatoides". Taxon. 56 (2): 571–582. doi:10.1002/TAX.562028. ISSN 0040-0262. JSTOR 25065812. Wikidata Q42315868.
- ^ a b c d Bayly, Michael J.; Kellow, Alison V.; de Lange, Peter J.; Mitchell, Kevin A.; Markham, Kenneth R.; Garnock‐Jones, Phil J.; Brownsey, Patrick J. (March 2003). "Geographic variation in morphology and flavonoid chemistry in Hebe pubescens and H. bollonsii (Scrophulariaceae), including a new infraspecific classification for H. pubescens". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 41 (1): 23–53. doi:10.1080/0028825X.2003.9512830. ISSN 0028-825X. Wikidata Q95996353.
- ^ Cockayne, L.; Allan, H. H. (1926). "Notes on New Zealand floristic botany, including descriptions of new species, etc. (No. 4)". Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. 56: 21–33. ISSN 1176-6158. Wikidata Q126453213.
- ^ Bayly, Michael J.; Kellow, Alison V. (2004). "Lectotypification of names of New Zealand members of Veronica and Hebe (Plantaginaceae)". Tuhinga: Records of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. 15. Te Papa: 43–52. ISSN 1173-4337. Wikidata Q106839752.
- ^ a b c "Veronica pubescens Benth". NZ Flora. Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research. Retrieved 12 September 2024.