Veronica vernicosa       0

This is a spreading, low shrub to 0.8m tall, rarely to 1m. The stems are spreading to obliquely ascending, eglandular-pubescent, hairs bifarious to uniform.

The leaf bud is distinct, its leaves appressed at margins until fully grown. The sinus is rhomboid to narrowly rhomboid. The leaves are sub-distichous, erect-patent to spreading. The lamina is subcoriaceous, elliptic to obovate, 5-20mm long, 2.5-8.0mm wide, glossy, especially above, green to dark green above, green beneath, midrib evident. The surfaces are usually with eglandular hairs along midrib above, sometimes glabrous. The margin is glabrous or ciliolate, entire. The apex is sub-acute to obtuse, broadly and bluntly plicate-acuminate. The base is shouldered or abruptly narrowed to petiole. The petiole is 0.5-3.0mm long.

The inflorescence is a lateral raceme, 16-72mm long. The flowers are crowded, 9-43, all bisexual. The bracts are alternate, ovate to deltoid, equal to or larger than the pedicels. The pedicels are erect-patent, 0-3.5mm long, eglandular-pubescent all around. It has 4 calyx lobes, usually obtuse or rounded, rarely sub-acute or acute, 1.0-1.5mm long, equal or sub-equal, usually mixed eglandular and glandular-ciliolate, sometimes eglandular-ciliate. The corolla is 6.0-8.5mm diameter. The tube is white, 0.6-1.5mm long, glabrous inside. It has 4 lobes, white, sometimes pink when young, erect-patent to spreading, unequal, elliptic to ovate, 3.5-5.0mm long, sub-acute. The nectar guides are absent. The stamen filaments are white, 3.0-5.5mm long. The anthers are white to pale pink. The style is glabrous, 2.7-7.0mm long.

The capsules are latiseptate, sub-acute to obtuse, glabrous, 2.8-4.2mm long, 1.6-2.5mm at widest point. The seeds are ellipsoid, obovoid, or oblong, flattened, smooth, pale brown, 1.3-1.5mm long.

References
- Flora of New Zealand. Veronica vernicosa

- Encyclopedia of Australian Plants, Elliot W. Rodger & Jones David L. 2012 Vol. 9 pag. 390-393. ISBN
- Chromosome numbers of Australian and New Guinean species of Veronica (Plantaginaceae), Briggs, Barbara G and Ehrendorfer, Friedrich. Telopea 2006 Vol. 11(3) pag. 294-298. Address
- eFloras. eFloras.org Vol. 2 pag. 134499. Veronica
- Flora Europaea, T. G. Tutin, V. H. Heywood, N. A. Burges, D. H. Valentine, S. M. Walters, D. A. Webb. 1968 Vol. 3 pag. 242-251. ISBN
- Flora iberica, Santiago Castroviejo. 2010 Vol. 13 pag. 360-434. ISBN
- Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, P.H. Davies. 1984 Vol. 6 pag. 689-753. ISBN
- Mountain Flora of Greece, Volume 2, Arne Strid. 1991 pag. 210-234. ISBN
- New Australian species and typifications in Veronica sens. lat.(Plantaginaceae), Briggs, Barbara G and Ehrendorfer, Friedrich. Telopea 2006 Vol. 11(3) pag. 276-292. Address
- Notes on the genus Veronica (Scrophulariaceae: Tribe Veroniceae) in Iran: Seed characters and a new record, Shahryar Saeidi-mehrv Arz, Ahmad Ghahreman & Mostafa Assadi. Pak. J. Bot 2001 Vol. 33(2) pag. 143-152. Address
- The genus Veronica (Scrophulariaceae) in China, Hui-Lin Li. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 1952 Vol. 104 pag. 197-218. JStor
- 'VERONICA' in North and South America, Francis W. Pennell. Rhodora 1921 Vol. 265 pag. 1-22. JStor

Biological type: plant
Frost resistance: 19ºF
Leaf color: dark green
Flower color: white
Reproduction mode: hermaphrodite plant whoes flowers produce both male and female gametes

Specifications for the Mediterranean basin
Adult size (h x w): 1,6ft x 3,2ft
Sun exposure: part sun (Sun hours: >3h <6h
Foliage: evergreen
Growth: slow
Flowering time from May until June

Specific information for our garden
Planting substrate: 30%Compost+30%Coco+40%Sand
Plant watering: 3x a week pH 6.5
Logical sequence of containers for: Perennials; forestry plate 8cm, 1L container, 2L forestry pot, 6L container, 55L container
Propagation is done by root division

SPRING Sow the seeds on the surface of Well Drained Seed Sowing Mix between 59-68°F. During germination keep the substrate moist and in daylight. The seeds germinate in 2-4 weeks.

Germination references for the genus
- New Zealand native seed germination requirements: A review, Rowarth J. S., Hampton J. G. and Hill M. J. New Zealand Journal of Botany 2007 Vol. 45(3) pag. 485-501. Address
- Seed Germination Responses and Interspecific Variations to Different Incubation Temperatures in Eight Veronica Species Native to Korea, Song, Su and Shin, Un and Oh, Hye and Kim, Sang and Lee, Seung Youn. Horticultural Science and Technology 2019 Vol. 37 pag. 20-31. DOI


Cuttings instructions
Take the cuttings at the end of spring, soak them in a hormonal preparation for cuttings. Plant them in a substrate rich in perlite and keep them sufficiently moist in sealed freezer bags.