Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Plantaginaceae
Genus: Hebe
Species: H. venustula
Binominal name: Hebe venustula
Synonyms: Veronica azurea, Veronica venustula, Hebe laevis, Veronica laevis
Hebe venustula is a rounded, evergreen shrub bearing pairs of glossy, yellow-green, oval leaves. It grows up to 1 m tall, and more across. The leaves are 8-20mm long 5-8mm wide, narrowing to tip and base. The branches are arching.
The flowers are white or lilac fading to white. They are on short stalks towards the tip of the twigs. The inflorescence is about 7cm long. Flowering occurs over the summer months. The sedds are dispersed by wind.
Its natural habitat is the sub alpine areas of the mountains of New Zealand’s North Island (except TararuaRange).
Hebe venustula looks similar to Hebe odora, but differs in the shape of the leaf base. H. venustula leaf base narrows slowly while H. odora narrows abruptly.
Photographed on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing/
