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Monday 16 July 2007 : Hebe or Veronica - why change back?.
My talk was based on a recent paper (Garnock-Jones, Albach, & Briggs 2007) where we transferred all the Southern Hemisphere veronicas (Hebe, Parahebe, Heliohebe, Chionohebe, Leonohebe, Hebejeebie, Derwentia, and Detzneria) back into the genus Veronica. The long introduction to the talk dealt with the nature of science and the extent to which taxonomy is or isn’t scientific. I believe strongly that hierarchical classifications are important, because they’re information-rich and predictive, and that the best classifications are cladistic ones, which coincide as closely as possible with the natural groupings produced by the evolutionary process.
For these reasons Hebe as recognised by Bayly & Kellow (2006) would be acceptable (it comprises a group of closely related species), but Parahebe and Veronica are not acceptable (some of their members are more closely related to Hebe). However, while cladistic approaches allow us to define groups of related species, they don’t provide objective methods for deciding at what rank these groups should be recognised. Our approach to that question has been to try to minimise the disruptive effects of name changes. In this, the decision was between (1) splitting Veronica into 8 natural groups (five of them new genera) that couldn’t be recognised by their morphology and that would cause name changes for 193 species (including most of the 17 weedy species in New Zealand), or (2) combining the southern veronicas with their close northern relatives, affecting 120 species in New Zealand and a dozen or so in each of Australia and New Guinea. Many New Zealand species already have names in Veronica that were in common use until the middle of last century.
Some people argue that distinctive groups should be given taxonomic recognition even if they aren’t natural. So I additionally looked at whether continued separation of northern and southern Veronica could be justified simply on the basis of morphological differences. While most hebes are different from most veronicas, not one character difference can separate the two groups (not even chromosome number, e.g. V. campylopoda has 2n=42). Some New Zealand plants, especially among the parahebes, are very Veronica-like, as noted by Oliver (1944).
So we now recognise Veronica as New Zealand’s largest genus, with 120 native and 17 naturalised species. All the New Zealand natives belong in Veronica sect. Hebe. We recommend the name hebe be retained as a common name (just as azalea is now a common name for some Rhododendron), and can be used with cultivar names (e.g., hebe ‘Blue Gem’). Most species (87%) keep the same specific epithet (e.g., Hebe speciosa reverts to its old name Veronica speciosa; Hebe flavida becomes Veronica flavida). Only 16 species (13%) needed to have new specific epithets (e.g. Parahebe laxa becomes Veronica zygantha; Hebe carnosula becomes Veronica baylyi); nearly all of these are narrowly distributed species that are not widely known.
I appreciate that people feel attached to the name Hebe and that it’s quite a wrench to get used to 120 different names. In an attempt to smooth the way, I’ve produced a cross-referenced double checklist where names can be translated in both directions.
Discussion after the talk was robust and will no doubt continue for years to come.
A conspectus of the NZ Veronica is given below.
References
• Bayly M.J. & Kellow, A.V. 2006. An Illustrated Guide to New Zealand Hebes. Te Papa Press, Wellington.
• Garnock-Jones, P. J.; Albach, D.; & Briggs, B. G. 2007. Botanical names in Southern Hemisphere Veronica (Plantaginaceae): sect. Detzneria, sect. Hebe, and sect. Labiatoides. Taxon 56: 571- 582.
• Oliver, W.R.B. 1944. The Veronica - like species of New Zealand. Rec. Domin. Mus. 1: 228-231.
Phil Garnock-Jones, Victoria University of Wellington.
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Alphabetical list of names in New Zealand Veronica
(cross-referenced equivalents in Hebe and related genera)
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Alphabetical list of names in New Zealand Hebe
and related genera
(cross-referenced equivalents in Veronica)
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1.
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Veronica adamsii
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8
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1.
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ChionoHebe ciliolata var. ciliolata
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26
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2.
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Veronica albicans
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9
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2.
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ChionoHebe densifolia
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37
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3.
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Veronica amplexicaulis f. amplexicaulis
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10
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3.
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ChionoHebe glabra
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25
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4.
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Veronica amplexicaulis f. hirta
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11
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4.
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ChionoHebe myosotoides
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74
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5.
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Veronica angustissima
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12
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5.
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ChionoHebe pulvinaris
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95
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6.
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Veronica annulata
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13
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6.
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ChionoHebe thomsonii
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129
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7.
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Veronica arganthera
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14
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7.
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Hebe acutiflora
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103
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8.
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Veronica armstrongii
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15
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8.
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Hebe adamsii
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1
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9.
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Veronica barkeri
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16
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9.
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Hebe albicans
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2
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10.
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Veronica baylyi
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27
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10.
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Hebe amplexicaulis f. amplexicaulis
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3
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11.
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Veronica benthamii
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17
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11.
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Hebe amplexicaulis f. hirta
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4
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12.
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Veronica biggarii
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18
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12.
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Hebe angustissima
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5
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13.
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Veronica birleyi
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122
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13.
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Hebe annulata
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6
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14.
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Veronica bishopiana
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19
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14.
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Hebe arganthera
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7
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15.
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Veronica bollonsii
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20
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15.
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Hebe armstrongii
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8
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16.
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Veronica brachysiphon
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21
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16.
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Hebe barkeri
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9
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17.
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Veronica breviracemosa
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23
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17.
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Hebe benthamii
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11
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18.
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Veronica buchananii
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24
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18.
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Hebe biggarii
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12
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19.
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Veronica calcicola
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25
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19.
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Hebe bishopiana
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14
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20.
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Veronica canterburiensis
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26
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20.
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Hebe bollonsii
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15
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21.
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Veronica catarractae
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125
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21.
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Hebe brachysiphon
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16
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22.
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Veronica chathamica
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28
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22.
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Hebe brevifolia
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96
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23.
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Veronica cheesemanii subsp. cheesemanii
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126
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23.
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Hebe breviracemosa
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17
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24.
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Veronica cheesemanii subsp. flabellata
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127
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24.
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Hebe buchananii
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18
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25.
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Veronica chionohebe
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3
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25.
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Hebe calcicola
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19
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26.
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Veronica ciliolata var. ciliolata
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1
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26.
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Hebe canterburiensis
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20
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27.
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Veronica ciliolata var. fiordensis
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140
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27.
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Hebe carnosula
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10
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28.
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Veronica ciliolata var. pumila
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141
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28.
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Hebe chathamica
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22
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29.
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Veronica cockayneana
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29
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29.
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Hebe cockayneana
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29
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30.
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Veronica colensoi
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30
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30.
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Hebe colensoi
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30
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31.
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Veronica colostylis
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123
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31.
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Hebe corriganii
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32
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32.
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Veronica corriganii
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36
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32.
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Hebe crenulata
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110
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33.
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Veronica cryptomorpha
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33
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33.
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Hebe cryptomorpha
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33
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34.
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Veronica cupressoides
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119
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34.
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Hebe decumbens
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36
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35.
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Veronica decora
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128
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35.
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Hebe dieffenbachii
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38
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36.
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Veronica decumbens
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34
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36.
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Hebe dilatata
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39
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37.
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Veronica densifolia
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2
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37.
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Hebe diosmifolia
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40
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38.
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Veronica dieffenbachii
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35
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38.
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Hebe divaricata
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124
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39.
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Veronica dilatata
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36
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39.
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Hebe elliptica
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41
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40.
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Veronica diosmifolia
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37
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40.
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Hebe epacridea
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42
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41.
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Veronica elliptica
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39
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41.
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Hebe evenosa
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43
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42.
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Veronica epacridea
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40
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42.
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Hebe flavida
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44
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43.
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Veronica evenosa
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51
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43.
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Hebe gibbsii
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45
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44.
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Veronica flavida
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42
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44.
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Hebe glaucophylla
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46
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45.
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Veronica gibbsii
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43
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45.
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Hebe haastii
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47
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46.
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Veronica glaucophylla
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44
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46.
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Hebe hectorii subsp. coarctata
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48
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47.
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Veronica haastii
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45
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47.
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Hebe hectorii subsp. demissa
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49
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48.
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Veronica hectorii subsp. coarctata
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46
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48.
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Hebe hectorii subsp. hectorii
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50
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49.
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Veronica hectorii subsp. Demissa
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47
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49.
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Hebe imbricata
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90
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50.
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Veronica hectorii subsp. hectorii
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48
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50.
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Hebe insularis
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55
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51.
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Veronica hookeri
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118
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51.
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Hebe leiophylla
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59
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52.
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Veronica hookeriana
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129
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52.
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Hebe ligustrifolia
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60
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53.
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Veronica hulkeana subsp. evestita
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111
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53.
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Hebe lycopodioides
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64
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54.
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Veronica hulkeana subsp. hulkeana
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112
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54.
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Hebe macrantha var. brachyphylla
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65
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55.
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Veronica insularis
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50
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55.
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Hebe macrantha var. macrantha
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66
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56.
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Veronica kellowiae
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80
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56.
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Hebe macrocalyx var. humilis
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67
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57.
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Veronica lanceolata
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130
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57.
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Hebe macrocalyx var. macrocalyx
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68
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58.
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Veronica lavaudiana
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113
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58.
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Hebe macrocarpa
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69
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59.
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Veronica leiophylla
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51
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59.
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Hebe masoniae
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70
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60.
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Veronica ligustrifolia
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52
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60.
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Hebe mooreae
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72
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61.
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Veronica lilliputiana
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124
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61.
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Hebe murrellii
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73
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62.
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Veronica linifolia
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132
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62.
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Hebe obtusata
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76
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63.
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Veronica lyallii
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133
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63.
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Hebe ochracea
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77
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64.
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Veronica lycopodioides
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53
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64.
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Hebe odora
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78
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65.
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Veronica macrantha var. brachyphylla
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54
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65.
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Hebe paludosa
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85
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66.
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Veronica macrantha var. macrantha
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55
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66.
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Hebe pareora
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79
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67.
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Veronica macrocalyx var. humilis
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56
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67.
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Hebe parviflora
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80
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68.
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Veronica macrocalyx var. macrocalyx
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57
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68.
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Hebe pauciflora
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77
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69.
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Veronica macrocarpa
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58
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69.
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Hebe pauciramosa
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81
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70.
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Veronica masoniae
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59
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70.
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Hebe perbella
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83
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71.
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Veronica melanocaulon
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134
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71.
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Hebe petriei
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84
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72.
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Veronica mooreae
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60
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72.
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Hebe pimeleoides subsp. faucicola
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86
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73.
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Veronica murrellii
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61
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73.
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Hebe pimeleoides subsp. pimeleoides
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87
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74.
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Veronica myosotoides
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4
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74.
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Hebe pinguifolia
|
88
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75.
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Veronica notialis
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68
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75.
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Hebe propinqua
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91
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76.
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Veronica obtusata
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62
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76.
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Hebe pubescens subsp. pubescens
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92
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77.
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Veronica ochracea
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63
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77.
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Hebe pubescens subsp. rehuarum
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93
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78.
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Veronica odora
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64
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78.
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Hebe pubescens subsp. sejuncta
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94
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79.
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Veronica pareora
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66
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79.
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Hebe rakaiensis
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98
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80.
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Veronica parviflora
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67
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80.
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Hebe ramosissima
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56
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81.
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Veronica pauciramosa
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69
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81.
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Hebe rigidula var. rigidula
|
101
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82.
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Veronica pentasepala
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114
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82.
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Hebe rigidula var. sulcata
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102
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83.
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Veronica perbella
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70
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83.
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Hebe rupicola
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104
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84.
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Veronica petriei
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71
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84.
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Hebe salicifolia
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105
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85.
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Veronica phormiiphila
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65
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85.
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Hebe salicornioides
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106
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86.
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Veronica pimeleoides subsp. faucicola
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72
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86.
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Hebe scopulorum
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107
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87.
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Veronica pimeleoides subsp. pimeleoides
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73
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87.
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Hebe societatis
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111
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88.
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Veronica pinguifolia
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74
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88.
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Hebe speciosa
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