Fuchsia perscandens
Fuchsia perscandens | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Myrtales |
Family: | Onagraceae |
Genus: | Fuchsia |
Species: | F. perscandens
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Binomial name | |
Fuchsia perscandens Cockayne & Allan (1927)
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Fuchsia perscandens, commonly known as climbing fuchsia
The name of this species comes from the Latin “scandere”, which means climbing, referring to the growth of the plant.[7][4]
Description
Fuchsia perscandens is a semi-trailing, climbing shrub, also defined as a scrambling liane.[8][1][9][10] According to Godley and Berry[6] and Wilson,[2] the plant’s appearance depends on the support it gets. The primary shoot starts growing up without support, then climbs bushes or crawls on the ground to find some support. Fuchsia perscandens can form a shrub in exposed situations or adopt a lianoid form.
The plant has thick main stems, with a diameter of up to 5 cm (2.0 in) and a length of about 5 m (16 ft).[8][11] Fuchsia perscandens is sparingly branched, and its bark is pale brown, or pale orange-fawn on older stems. The bark tends to peel off in papery-thin flakes and strips, and the small branches are hairy at first.[7][11][2]
Leaves
The leaves are suborbicular, measure about 3 cm (1.2 in) long and 2 cm (0.79 in) wide, and are carried on slender
Webb et al. describe the leaves as deciduous.[11] But according to Godley and Berry,[6] even if exposed plants lose their leaves at the beginning of winter, they might only lose their foliage for a few weeks if located in the shade, and specimens have been observed in full leaf in July on North Island.
Flowers
Fuchsia perscandens is a
The flowers are pendant, or drooping, and measure 1–3 cm (0.39–1.18 in) long. They are often produced singly, but there can sometimes be a set of two or three flowers. They are supported by very slender pedicels.[6][9][11] They can appear directly from the trunk, but also from the short stems holding the leaves.[6][9]
The
The petals on the corolla are 1–6 mm (0.039–0.236 in) long and narrow-oblong.[6][11] They are initially green and dark purple, and red appears when the flowers age.[7][2]
These flowers are very similar to those of Fuchsia excorticata, also called tree fuchsia, in a smaller version.[7][13]
Hermaphroditic flowers are the only ones bearing
Berries
Fuchsia perscandens produces small berries. They are subcylindrical (imperfectly cylindrical) and measure 5–10 mm (0.20–0.39 in). They are red to purple and ripen to a very dark purple.[7][6][11] These berries are not as prolific as those of Fuchsia excorticata.[9]
The seeds are oblong-triangular, 0.8–0.9 mm (0.031–0.035 in) long, and 0.4–0.6 mm (0.016–0.024 in) wide.[6]
Geographic distribution
Fuchsia perscandens is endemic to New Zealand.[4][14][11] It is found on both main islands of New Zealand but is not common.[6]
The species is not found in the warmer northern part of the North Island. Even if specimens were recorded north of Auckland during the 19th century, they probably disappeared with deforestation.[6][9]
It is thought that Fuchsia perscandens was once common in the lower Waikato area, at the base of trees in the white pine (Dacrycarpus dacrydioides) forests. A few plants are left in that area, but the species has become rare. This is now believed to be the most northerly location of Fuchsia perscandens.[6][11]
Habitat preferences
Fuchsia perscandens is usually found in forests (especially in clearings or at forest edges), coastal shrub and shrubland.[7][1][11][2] Sometimes, the species is found among rocks in the open, and the altitude at which it grows ranges from sea level to 750 m.[2]
Fuchsia perscandens's preferred habitats are river terraces and remnants of white pine swamp forest, but the species has also been found in limestone, for example in the Wairarapa or in Marlborough.[6]
Ecology
Life cycle/phenology
Fuchsia perscandens flowers from July or August to December.[11][2] Godley and Berry collected more flowering plants in October and November, with 14 and 7 specimens respectively in each month.[6] Open flowers last about 11 days, during which they change color, passing from green with purple streaks to deep purple.[6]
Fuchsia perscandens can multiply in two ways: by seed (sexual reproduction) and by division (asexual reproduction).
Sweetman explains that Fuchsia perscandens has a generally spreading habit: shoots layer themselves and give rise to new plants.[9]
Sexual reproduction takes place after
Wilson[2] states that there is not enough information available regarding the period during which Fuchsia perscandens produces fruit, although Eagle[7] observed some berries on a Taumarunui reserve in December.
Parasites and diseases
Limited information is available on the
It has been reported as being a
The plant’s berries are also likely to attract animals. In
Other information
Fuchsia perscandens has been classified as a non-endangered species by the
Fuchsia perscandens can hybridise with Fuchsia excorticata (tree fuchsia), resulting in the hybrid Fuchsia × colensoi, called shrubby fuchsia. The latter can cross back with both of its parents, which creates a lot of variation.[6] [2] According to Wilson,[2] shrubby fuchsia is a little more common than Fuchsia perscandens on Banks Peninsula but much less common than Fuchsia excorticata.
References
- ^ a b c Johnson, P. (2004). Otago Peninsula Plants: an annotated list of vascular plants growing in wild places. Dunedin, New Zealand: Save The Otago Peninsula Inc.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Wilson, H.D. (2013). Plant Life on Banks Peninsula. Cromwell, New Zealand: Manuka Press.
- ^ Martin, W. (1961). The Flora of New Zealand (4th ed.). Christchurch, New Zealand: Whitecombe and Tombs.
- ^ a b c "Fuchsia perscandens". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
- ^ Cockayne, L.; Allan, H.H. (1926). "Notes on New Zealand floristic botany, including descriptions of New Species, &c (No. 5)". Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand (57): 48–72.
- ^ JSTOR 2399832.
- ^ OCLC 85262201.
- ^ a b Johnson, M.; Johnson, E.E. (1968). New Zealand Flowering Plants. Christchurch, New Zealand: Caxton Press.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Sweetman, T. (1991). Fuchsia Growing in New Zealand, Australia & the South Pacific. Wellington, New Zealand: Procumbens Pub.
- ^ Wardle, P. (1991). Vegetation of New Zealand. Cambridge, New Zealand: Cambridge University Press.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Webb, C.J.; Sykes, W.R.; Garnock-Jones, P.J. (1988). Flora of New Zealand. Vol. 4. Naturalised Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Dicotyledons. Christchurch, New Zealand: Botany Division, D.S.I.R.
- ^ ISSN 1095-8290.
- ^ Laing, R.M.; Blackwell, E.W. (1964). Plants of New Zealand (Seventh ed.). Christchurch, New Zealand: Whitecombe and Tombs.
- ^ a b "PlantSynz - Invertebrate herbivore biodiversity assessment tool: Database". plant-synz.landcareresearch.co.nz. Retrieved 2023-03-06.
- ^ .
- ISSN 2324-1713.