Prior names
Derwentia derwentiana ssp. homalodonta
Common names
Mount Lofty Speedwell
Derwent Speedwell
Etymology
Veronica possibly named after Saint Veronica, a nun who died in Milan in 1497. Alternatively from the Latin 'vera' and 'icon' meaning true image. This is in reference to the legend of the miraculous imprint of the face of Christ on a headcloth that Saint Veronica offered Christ on his way to crucifixion. Derwentiana means of or from the Derwent River in south-eastern Tasmania; referring to where the species was first collected from. Homalodonta from the Greek 'homalos' meaning smooth, flat and 'odous' meaning tooth; referring to the flat toothed leaves.
Distribution and status
Endemic to South Australia. Found in the wetter parts of the Mount Lofty Ranges. Native. Very rare in South Australia.
Herbarium regions: Southern Lofty, Green Adelaide
NRM region: Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Erect perennial shrub to 2 m tall with many stems arising from the base. Leaves are green, lance-shaped with serrations along the edges and arranged in pairs. Flowers are pale mauve along a long flower spike, appearing in late spring and summer. Fruits are brown capsules along a fruit-spike, containing numerous small seeds. Seeds are small brown seeds to 1 mm long with a wrinkled surface. Seed embryo type is linear fully developed.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between January and April. Either collect the seed capsules by running your fingers along the spike or break the whole fruit-spike off. Collect capsules that are brown but have not split with brown seeds inside. Place the seed capsules or spike in a tray and leave to dry for a week. Then rub the capsules gently by hand or with a rubber bung to dislodge the seeds. Use a sieve to separate the unwanted material. Be careful as the seed are small. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place. From 11 collections, the seed viability were high, ranging from 95% to 100%. This species has morphophysiological dormancy that can be overcome to promote germination.
Location | No. of seeds (weight grams) | Number of plants | Date collected | Collection number Collection location | Date stored | % Viability | Storage temperature |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BGA MSB | 5,400 (1.15 g) 5,750 (1.21 g) | 5 | 16-Feb-2005 | DJD116 Southern Lofty | 28-Mar-2006 | 95% | -18°C |
BGA | 16,500 (3.48 g) | 3 | 5-Apr-2005 | DJD125 Southern Lofty | 28-Mar-2006 | 95% | -18°C |
BGA | 3,600 (0.76 g) | 2 | 27-Mar-2005 | DJD124 Southern Lofty | 8-Aug-2006 | 90% | -18°C |
BGA | 2,000 (0.44 g) | 1 | 27-Mar-2005 | DJD126 Southern Lofty | 8-Aug-2006 | 100% | -18°C |
BGA | 1,476 (0.31 g) | 30 | 27-Mar-2005 | DJD121 Southern Lofty | 8-Aug-2006 | 100% | -18°C |
BGA | 8,700 (1.38 g) | 14 | 22-Feb-2007 | DJD767 Southern Lofty | 1-Aug-2007 | 100% | +5°C, -18°C |
BGA | 1,600 (0.47 g) | 4 | 16-Apr-2008 | KHB150 Southern Lofty | 19-Sep-2008 | 100% | +5°C, -18°C |
BGA | 200 (0.054 g) | 2 | 15-Mar-2010 | Mt Bold - east side Southern Lofty | 1-Jun-2010 | 100% | -18°C |
BGA | 250 | 1 | 28-Feb-2010 | KHB370 Southern Lofty | 1-Jun-2010 | N/C | -18°C |
BGA | 4,400 (2.3 g) | 3 | 18-Feb-2010 | Cherryville Southern Lofty | 1-Jun-2010 | 95% | -18°C |
BGA | 250 (0.055 g) | 2 | 11-Mar-2010 | Mt Bold - Track27A Southern Lofty | 1-Jun-2010 | 100% | -18°C |
BGA | 200 (0.057 g) | 1 | 21-Feb-2010 | Hadrians Gully Southern Lofty | 1-Jun-2010 | 100% | -18°C |
BGA | 3,000 (0.22 g) | 18-Mar-2009 | PJA197 Southern Lofty | 1-Jan-2012 | 95% | -18°C | |
BGA | 2,400 (0.22 g) | 8 | 5-Mar-2008 | PJA171 Southern Lofty | 1-Jan-2012 | 92% | -18°C |
BGA | 17,000 (4.87 g) | 30+ | 12-Apr-2011 | KHB560 Southern Lofty | 1-Nov-2012 | 100% | +5°C, -18°C |
BGA | 6,280 (1.947 g) | 12 | 5-Mar-2012 | KHB662 Southern Lofty | 1-Nov-2012 | 100% | +5°C, -18°C |
BGA | 2,500 (0.6 g) | 5 | 16-May-2011 | KHB583 Southern Lofty | 24-Jun-2020 | -18°C | |
BGA | 400 (0.054 g) | 9 | 1-Apr-2020 | TST1440 Southern Lofty | 24-Jun-2020 | N/C | -18°C |
BGA | 3,300 (0.49 g) | 50 | 16-Apr-2019 | DJD3887 Southern Lofty | 24-Jun-2020 | 100% | -18°C |
BGA | 1,700 (0.28 g) | 4 | 27-Mar-2020 | K.H.Brewer Southern Lofty | 24-Jun-2020 | 100% | -18°C |
BGA | 1,500 (0.26 g) | 1 | 24-Mar-2020 | K.H.Brewer Southern Lofty | 24-Jun-2020 | 100% | -18°C |
BGA | 4,750 (1.52 g) | 7 | 13-Apr-2011 | KHB561 Southern Lofty | 28-Jun-2021 | 100% | -18°C |
BGA | 17,300 (2.05 g) | 20 | 16-Apr-2019 | DJD3888 Southern Lofty | 28-Jun-2021 | 95% | -18°C, -80°C |
BGA | 6,100 (1.24 g) | 30 | 1-Apr-2020 | TST1439 Southern Lofty | 28-Jun-2021 | 100% | -18°C |
BGA | 30,900 (6.5 g) | 20 | 5-Apr-2005 | DJD127 Southern Lofty | 28-Jun-2021 | 100% | +5°C, -18°C |
BGA | 6,000 (0.98 g) | 17-Mar-2005 | Ivan Proberts Southern Lofty | 28-Jun-2021 | 95% | +5°C, -18°C | |
BGA | 1,200 (0.220 g) | 5 | 1-Apr-2020 | JJS15 Southern Lofty | 28-Jun-2021 | 95% | -18°C |
BGA | 33,900 (11.370 g) | 29-Apr-2021 | J.J.Smith Southern Lofty | 28-Jun-2021 | 100% | -18°C, -80°C | |
BGA | 3,500 (0.59 g) | 4 | 1-Jan-2010 | Wirra Birra - Ironbank Southern Lofty | 7-Jul-2022 | 100% | -18°C |