Jovellana sinclairii

Jovellana sinclairii
Conservation status
Declining (NZ TCS) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Calceolariaceae
Genus:	Jovellana
Species:	J. sinclairii
Binomial name
Jovellana sinclairii (Hook.) Kraenzl.
Estimated range
Synonyms [2]
Calceolaria albulaColenso Calceolaria sinclairii Hook. Calceolaria sturmiiColenso Fagelia sinclairii(Hook.) Kuntze Jovellana albula(Colenso) Kraenzl. Jovellana sturmii(Colenso) Kraenzl.

Jovellana sinclairii, commonly known as the New Zealand calceolaria, is an endemic New Zealand shrub found in eastern and central North Island forests. In the family Calceolariaceae, it has white, bell shaped flowers with spots of purple on the inside. ^{[3] [4]}

Description

Jovellana sinclairii is a perennial herbaceous plant which grows into 1 by 1.8 m rounded shrubs. The leaves are 2 - 8 cm by 2 - 5 cm and grow opposite each other, suspended off of 8.2 by 2.3 mm petioles. Above they are a dark to yellow green and light green below. The plant's stems can be up to 80 cm long and are green or red, the bases of which becoming woody with age. It has 30cm long inflorescences with cream white flowers growing off of 3cm long pedicels. The flowers are 4.8 - 10.2 mm long and have spots of purple with 2 concave lips and a 2 mm long calyx. The anthers are suborbicular (approximately circular) with short filaments. The seeds are 0.35 - 0.6 mm long and are dark red - brown concealed within an egg shaped 3.8. - 4.2 mm long capsule. It fruits from October to February and disperses its seeds by wind and possibly water. ^[3]

Jovellana sinclairii looks similar to the other species in the genus Jovellana endemic to New Zealand; Jovellana repens , though it has smaller leaves, flowers, and typically fewer flowers in each inflorescence. It also grows into a mat as opposed to the small shrubs Jovellana sinclairii forms. ^[5]

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  Top side of the leaf
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  Underside of leaf
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  Full inflorescence
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  Flower close up

Etymology

Jovellana honours the 18th century patron of Botany Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos and sinclairii is after Andrew Sinclair, a Colonial Secretary of New Zealand and naturalist (c.1796 - 1861). ^{[3] [6] [7]}

Cultivation

It is easily grown from both seed and cuttings. ^[3] Prefers a sheltered shady / semi-shady location in well drained soil. ^[8]

References

1. "NZTCS".
2. "Jovellana sinclairii (Hook.) Kraenzl". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 24 October 2025.
3. "Jovellana sinclairii". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 2020-12-19.
4. "Jovellana". O2 Landscapes. Retrieved 2020-12-19.
5. "Jovellana repens". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 2021-01-30.
6. McLintock, Alexander Hare; Bernard John Foster, M. A.; Taonga, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. "SINCLAIR, Andrew". An encyclopaedia of New Zealand, edited by A. H. McLintock, 1966. Retrieved 2020-12-20.
7. "RightPlants". www.rightplants4me.co.uk. Retrieved 2020-12-26.
8. Cave, Yvonne. (1999). The gardener's encyclopaedia of New Zealand native plants. Paddison, Valda. Auckland, N.Z.: Godwit. ISBN   1-86962-043-7. OCLC   183094768.