HEBE BISHOPIANA (SCROPHULARIACEAE) - AN ENDEMIC SPECIES OF THE WAITAKERE RANGES, WEST AUCKLAND, NEW-ZEALAND

Hebe bishopiana(Petrie) Hatch, first described as the hybrid Veronica x bishopiana by Petrie in 1926, was transferred by Hatch in 1966 to th e genus Hebe as H. x bishopiana. This paper supports the suggestion ma de by Hatch that this taxon may not be a hybrid; it is regarded here a s a distinct and uncommon species endemic to the Waitakere Range west of Auckland City in the North Island, New Zealand. Hebe bishopiana is most similar to H. obtusata but is a larger shrub with widely branchin g stems, distinctive maroon-green foliage and stems, lanceolate-ellipt ic leaves, and longer racemes with only sparsely hairy calyces. The co nservation status of Hebe bishopiana is discussed and the current IUCN ranking of ''Vulnerable'' supported.