Veronica. | SCROPHULARINES. 531 
dorsal one the largest. Capsule broadly oblong, subcompressed, 
exceeding the calyx.—Bot. Mag. t. 7338; Armstr. in Trans. N.Z. 
Inst. xiii. (1881) 351. 
Sour Istanp: Not uncommon in subalpine localities throughout. 
2500-5500 ft. December—February. 
Very closely allied to V. tetragona, from which it can only be distinguished 
by the more acutely 4-angled branches and rather broader leaves, which are 
suddenly narrowed into a bluntish cusp or point. 
52. V. Hectori, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 212.—A small robust 
much-branched shrub 6-30in. high; stem woody, terete, closely 
ringed by the scars of the fallen leaves; branches terete or very 
obscurely tetragonous, stout, rigid, erect, $-tin. diam., blackish- 
brown when dry. Leaves densely imbricated, opposite pairs 
connate to the middle or higher and forming a closely appressed 
ring surrounding the branch (sometimes slightly open at the 
mouth), ;—4 in. long, broader than long, broadly orbicular-oblong, 
obtuse, concave in front, rounded and polished at the back, not 
keeled, extremely thick and coriaceous, margins of the younger 
leaves often ciliolate. Leaves of young plants not seen. Flowers 
axillary, crowded at the tips of the branchlets, forming small 
terminal heads, about }in. diam., white. Calyx-segments linear- 
oblong, obtuse, ciliolate. Corolla-tube about as long as the calyx ; 
lobes oblong, obtuse, dorsal one the largest. Capsule exceeding the 
calyx, broadly oblong, subcompressed, obtuse.—Bot. Mag. t. 7415 ; 
Armstr. mm Trans. N.Z. Inst. xiii. (1881) 352. 
SourH Isuanp: Canterbury—Southern Alps, Haast, Armstrong; Mount 
Cook district, T. 7. C. Otago—Mount Alta, Hector and Buchanan! Mount 
Tyndall and the Hector Mountains, Petrie! Humboldt Mountains, Cockayne ! 
Mount Harnslaw, H. J. Matthews ! 3500-6000 ft. January—March. 
Most nearly allied to V. lycopodioides, but recognised without any difficulty 
by the terete branchlets, and by the leaves being connate to above the middle, 
and obtuse, not pointed. The much stouter branchlets at once separate it from 
V. salicornioides and V. Armstrongit. 
d3. V. coarctata, Cheesem. n. sp. — A small stout much- 
branched shrub 1-3 it. high; branches close, spreading; branchlets 
numerous, rather stout, ;4;-;, in. diam, terete or obscurely tetra- 
gonous, densely clothed with appressed imbricating leaves, blackish 
when dry. Leaves of mature plants densely imbricating, about 
goin. long, the opposite pairs connate to above the middle into 
a ring or sheath closely appressed to the branch, obtuse or subacute, 
thick and coriaceous, smooth and polished on the back; margins 
usually ciliolate. Leaves of young plants not seen. Flowers 
4-4 In. diam., white, from 4 to 8 near the tips of the branchlets, 
forming small terminal heads; bracts broad, ciliolate. Calyx 
short ; segments oblong, obtuse, ciliolate. Corolla-tube included in 
the calyx; lobes spreading, the dorsal one the largest. Capsule 
about 4 in. long, nearly twice as long as the calyx, ovoid, obtuse. 
