Fuchsia

Fuchsia magellanica shoots with
flowers (above) and fruits (below)

Plant Info

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Onagraceae
Genus:	Fuchsia Plum.

Species=

About 100; see text

Fuchsia is a genus of flowering plants, mostly shrubs, which were identified by Charles Plumier in the late 17th century, and named by Plumier in 1703 after the German botanist Leonhart Fuchs (1501–1566). The English vernacular name Fuchsia is the same as the scientific name.

Description

There are about 100–110 species of Fuchsia. The great majority are native to South America, but with a few occurring north through Central America to Mexico, and also several on New Zealand, and Tahiti. One species, Fuchsia magellanica, extends as far as the southern tip of South America on Tierra del Fuego in the cool temperate zone, but the majority are tropical or subtropical. Most fuchsias are shrubs from 0.2–4 m tall, but one New Zealand species, Kotukutuku (Fuchsia excorticata), is unusual in the genus in being a tree, growing up to 12–15 m tall.

Fuchsia leaves are opposite or in whorls of 3–5, simple lanceolate and usually have serrated margins (entire in some species), 1–25 cm long, and can be either deciduous or evergreen depending on the species. The flowers are very decorative pendulous "eardrop" shape, borne in profusion throughout the summer and autumn, and all year in tropical species. They have four long, slender, sepals and four shorter, broader, petals; in many species the sepals are bright red and the petals purple (colours that attract the hummingbirds that pollinate them), but the colours can vary from white to dark red, purple-blue, and orange. A few have yellowish tones, and recent hybrids have added the color white in various combinations. The fruit is a small (5–25 mm) dark reddish green, deep red, or deep purple edible berry containing numerous very small seeds. Many people describe the fruit as having a subtle grape flavor spiced with black pepper.

Species

Felix Munz in his The Genus Fuchsia classified the genus into seven sections of 100 species. The majority of species, 94 of them, originate in Central and South America, West Indies, Haiti and Cuba. The other 6 species were found in New Zealand and Tahiti.

The vast majority of garden hybrids have descended from a few parent species.^[1]

Section 1: Quelusia

Fuchsia regia

Species in this section have the nectary fused to the base of the hypanthium (tube). The hypanthium is cylinder shaped and is generally no longer than the sepals. The stamens are long and extend beyond the corolla (petals) (exserted).

Fuchsia Bracelinae
Fuchsia coccinea
Fuchsia Compos-Portoi
Fuchsia hybrida
Fuchsia magellanica
Fuchsia regia
F. r. 'alpestris' syn Fuchsia alpestris

Section 2: Eufuchsia

Eufuchsia is the largest section of fuchsias. Flowers are perfect with convolute petals erect stamens that may or may not project beyond the corolla, the stamens opposite the petals are shorter. The fruit has many seeds.

Fuchsia boliviana

Section 3: Kierschlegeria

This section possesses a single species. This species has pedicels which are in the axils and are pendulous. The leaves are sparse and the sepals are reflexed and slightly shorter than the tube.

Fuchsia lycioides

Section 4: Skinnera

The main characteristics of this section include a floral tube that is swollen above the ovary (future fruit). The sepals curve back on themselves and the petals are small or near absent.

Section 5: Hemsleyella

The species in this section are characterised by a nectary that is fused with the base of the flower tube with petals that are partly or completely lacking.

Section 6: Schufia

Plants in this section have flowers that are erect on the plant in a corymb like panicle.

Fuchsia arborescens

Section 7: Engliandra

Flowers on species in this section have flat petals, short stamens and are reflexed into the tube. Fruits contain few seeds.

Cultivation

Fuchsia magellanica

Fuchsias are popular garden shrubs, and once planted will gives years of pleasures for minimal amount of care. The British Fuchsia Society maintain a list of "hardy" fuchsias that have been proven to survive and number of winters throughout Britain and to be back in flower each year by July. Enthusiasts report that hundreds and even thousands of hybrids survive and prospers throughout the Brisish Isles.

Fuchsias from sections Quelusia (F magellanica and variants, F regia, etc), encliandra (and some encliandra hybrids will flower 365 days continuously), Skinnera (F excorticata, F perscandens) and Procumbentes (F procumbens makes a great groundcover pla nt) are proven to be hardy in widespread area of Britain. Some of the more temperate species will survive outdoors in the more temperate areas, though may not always flower in the average British summer.