380 PLANTS OF NEW ZEALAND 



Veronica lycopodioides {Tlic Li/copodiiim-like Veivnica). 



A larKC, erect shrub. Branches 4-aiigied, leaves closely imbricate, -i\-iin. 

 long. Flowers in dense heads at the tips of the branches, white. CoroUa 1 in across. 

 South Island: Southern Alps, llacaulay River, Wairau Gorge, Lindis 

 Pass, (Itaso. This plant is one of the whip-cord veronicas referred to on p. 87-2. 

 Fl. Dec. -Mar. 



]'cronica tetrastichn . Vi'roiiira Hectori, Ve)-onica sniicornioidcs, and I'enmicn 

 ciipri'x.v'ulcs belong also to this class of veronicas, having the same closely 

 imliricated lea\'es. 



Veronica epacridea {The Epacris-lihe Veronica). 



A small, rigid shrub. Leaves closely imbricate, recurved, rendering the 

 branches J-angled in appearance. Flowers without stalks, in pairs among the 

 upper ]ea\-es, forming an oblong head. South Island : Tarndale, Southern Alps, 

 Mt. Darwin, Wai-au-ua Valley, etc. 



Tliis species l:>elongs to the rock-growing group of veronicas. 

 Dr. Cockayne says of the seedhng ; "The whole plant is very 

 succulent and soft. Such structure is an admirable provision 

 against drought, growing as it does on solid rock or shingle- 

 shps, for it cannot put down a long root in search of water, as 

 the adult plant can ; nor is there so much danger of its drying 

 up with excessive transpiration, since, being of very low 

 stature, the large stones of the shingle-slips, or the fissures of 

 the rock, where alone the seed can germinate, will protect it 

 from drying winds. The same remark would apply to 

 Veroiiica tetra-'iticha, a companion plant. It is curious that 

 this soft, succulent form of leaf is the permanent form of 

 Veronica Haastii, a closely allied plant, restricted to regions 

 .subject to the western rainfall."" 



Veronica Lavaudiana (Lavaud's Veronica). 



A small, stout herb. Stem at first prostrate; branches ascending. Leaves 

 iiii.-i^, in. long, broad, leathery. Flower-spikes Jin. long, in corymbs lin.-'2in. 

 Ijroad. Corolla Jin. across, white or purple. South Island : Banks Peninsula. 

 Fl. Nov. 



This lieautifu] Httle Veronica was one of liaoul's discoveries. 

 He named it after Lavilud.^ It belongs to the third section 

 of veronicas, i.e., those with toothed and rather fleshy 



•Trans. XXXI., i>. H81. 

 (■oiiiiiiorlore nf tbe Nanto-J^ordelaise e.\r>edition for settling the South Island. 



