Veronica. | SCROPHULARINER. 533: 
about twice as long as the calyx, oblong-ovoid, compressed, obtuse 
or slightly retuse.—Armstr. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xii. (1881) 352; 
Cockayne in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxxi. (1899) 396, t. 28, 29. 
Sour Istanp: Mountain districts from Nelson to Otago, but not common. 
2000-5000 ft. December—February. 
Closely allied to V. Hectori and V. salicornioides, from both of which it differs 
in the more spreading and much more copiously branched habit, and especially 
in the leaves, which are connate into an almost obconic sheath which is free 
from the branch at the tip, and truncate, or nearly so. 
56. V. propinqua, Cheesem. n.sp.—A small much-branched shrub 
1-3 ft. high; branches spreading, sometimes decumbent or tortuous ; 
branchlets numerous, slender, about j,in. diam. Leaves of 
mature plants densely imbricated, the opposite pairs connate for the 
greater part of their length, each pair forming aclosed sheath round 
the branch ;4,-+4 in. long, the lower part of which is adnate to the 
branch, the upper part free and somewhat expanded, the free tips 
of the leaves very short, obtusely triangular, thick and coriaceous ; 
margins ciliolate. Leaves of young plants free, linear or spathulate, 
entire or irregularly lobulate-pinnatifid. Flowers 4-4+in. diam., 
white, 4-8 near the tips of the branchlets, forming small terminal 
heads ; rhachis villous. Calyx small; segments linear-oblong, obtuse, 
ciliolate. Corolla-tube about equalling the calyx; lobes spreading, 
unequal, the dorsal the largest. Capsule nearly twice as long as 
the calyx, about jin. long, ovoid, compressed, obtuse.—Y. sali- 
cornioides, Hort.(not of Hook. f.). | V. cupressoides var. variabilis, 
N. E. Brown in Gard. Chron. (1888) vol. i. 20, f. 5 (exclude F). 
SoutH Istanp: Otago—Upper Waipori and Maungatua, Petrie! Mount 
Ida and Mount Bonpland, H. J. Matthews ! 2500-5000 ft. December- 
February. 
This has been cultivated in gardens for many years under the name of VV. 
salicornioides, from which, however, it is altogether distinct, as was first pointed 
out by Mr. N. EK. Brown in the Gardeners’ Chronicle. It was referred by Mr. 
Brown to V. cupressoides, but it differs from that plant in size, mode of growth, 
leaves, and in the flowers and capsule, and Mr. Brown now agrees with me in 
considering it to be a distinct species. Its nearest affinity is with V. 
Armstrongii, but the branches are much more slender, and the leaves smaller: 
and narrower. 
57. V. cupressoides, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 212.—A much 
and closely branched round-topped shrub 3-6ft. high; branches. 
divaricating ; branchlets numerous, green, very slender, 1, in. diam. 
or less, terete, very minutely puberulous or glabrous, clothed with 
decussate scale-like leaves resembling those of a cypress. Leaves 
of mature plants in rather remote pairs, considerably shorter than 
the internodes, .4,-;1; in. long, not broader than the branch, ovate- 
oblong, obtuse, opposite pairs connate at the base, appressed or 
patent, rather fleshy, glabrous or minutely ciliolate. Leaves of 
young plants (often produced by reversion on the branches of old 
