Kingdom: Plantae
(Unranked): Angiosperms
(Unranked): Eudicots
(Unranked): Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Plantaginaceae
Genus: Hebe
Species: H. brachysiphon
Binomial name: Hebe brachysiphon
Synonym: Veronica brachysiphon
The name brachysiphon means 'short tubed', which refers to the flower.
Hebe brachysiphon is found in The mountains of Marlborough and Canterbury from the Red Hills Ridge to near Mt Hutt. Its grows in subalpine shrubland close to the tree line. It forms a dense evergreen rounded shrub growing to about 1 m high. The mid to dark green lance shaped leaves are about an inch 2–3 cm long, and 6 mm wide. White flowers in short terminal racemes (2.5 cm across) blooming midsummer.
The cultivar Hebe 'White Gem' is a hybrid of this species.
Photographed at Otari Wilton Bush Reserve November..
