Platk 149.— veronica l.EIOPHYLLA. 



Family SCROPHULARIACEiE.l [Uenus VERONICA, Linn. 



Veronica leiophylla, Chee.sein. Mmi. N.Z. Fl. 509. 



V. parviflora var. phillyreaefolia, Himk. j. Fl. Nov. Zel. i, 192. 



This fine plant, and, to my mind, perfectly distinct species, was originally 

 discovered by Mr. J. C. Bidwill in some locality in the Nelson Provincial District. 

 In the " Flora Novie Zelandiae " Sir J. D. Hooker placed it as " Veronica 

 parviflora var. ^ philh/rea'folia" distinguishing it from the typical form of 

 V. parviflora by the following characters : " Foliis anguste linear! -elliptico- 

 oblongis subacutis, racemis folio longioribus densifloris, sepalis parvis obtusis, 

 corollis niajusculis " — a diagnosis which must be regarded as remarkably apt and 

 expressive. No mention whatever is made of it in the " Handbook," and there 

 is nothing to show whether it is included in V. parviflora or placed with some 

 other species. 



After the publication of tlie "Handbook" it became known to most New 

 Zealand b(jtanists, and was variously referred to V. parviflora, V. ligustrifolia, and 

 V. Traversii. Believing that it cannot be correctly placed under any of these, 

 an opinion in which I have the support of Mr. N. E. Brown, of Kew. I ultimately 

 described it in the Manual under the name of V. leiophylla. As to its distribution, 

 it appears to be far more plentiful in Nelson, Marlborough, and North Canterbury 

 than anywhere else, although it occurs in eastern Canterbury and Otago as far south 

 as Lake Te Anau. It is most abundant in river-valleys, and is especially plentiful 

 in the Wairau and Awatere Valleys, the upper part of the Buller Valley, &c. Its 

 altitudinal range is from sea-level to 3,000 ft. 



As a species I regard V. leiophylla as absolutely marked ofl from V. parviflora 

 by the flat linear-oblong subacute or obtuse leaves, and much larger flowers and 

 capsules. In addition, F. parviflora has smaller and narrower acute leaves, keeled 

 beneath, and the racemes are not much longer than the leaves, whereas they 

 conspicuously exceed the leaves in F. leiophylla. V. Traversii, if I am correct 

 in my identification of that very problematical plant, certainly is a near ally, but 

 is distinct in its shorter and broader usually acute leaves, smaller flowers with a 

 shorter tube to the corolla, and smaller capsules. 



From a horticultural point of view V. leiophylla has much to recommend it. 

 It is easy of cultivation, does not require special shelter, and will succeed in any 

 ordinary soil. Its habit is neat and compact, and it usually blooms with great 

 regularity and profusion. 



Plate 149. Veronica kiopkylla. dniwn from specimens collected in the central portioQa of tlie 

 Nelson Provincial District. Fig. 1, flower (x 4) ; 2, calyx (x 4) ; .3, section of calyx, showing ovary 

 m situ (x 5) ; 4, corolla laid open (x 4) ; 5 and 6, front and back view of anthers (x 6) ; 7, trans- 

 verse section of ovary {x 6) ; 8, capsule (x 4) ; 9, seed (enlarged) ; 10, embryo (enlarged). 



