Galleries

Hebe stricta var. atkinsonii and Hebe stenophylla var. stenophylla

These shrubs are colonisers and are also part of the stable shrublands on Puangiangi. H. stenophylla has smaller, narrower leaves than H. stricta. I know, they are meant to be Veronica now, but Hebe will still do, thanks. The variety atkinsonii is arguably no longer recognised, but I include that to acknowledge Chris Horne and the late Barbara Mitcalfe, who broke it out as that variety and did such a great job on the 2012 botanical survey despite very poor weather at times. The summertime flowers are a good source of nectar for insects and lizards. Our only post-release record of striped gecko (so far) was on koromiko. Very common shrubs that everyone will know, or at least know their local variant.

(Part of an ongoing effort to photograph all the vascular plants on the island. Each species will get a page when I get enough reasonable photos.)