Flora of New Zealand Series

Reassembling Hooker's data we have: Plant intermediate in size [between F. excorticata and F. procumbens]. Stems branching low, woody. Lvs very variable, ovate, orbicular or cordate. Petioles = or > lvs. Fls as large as in F. excorticata. Stamens = or > calyx-lobes.

DIST.: N. Colenso. S. Common, Canterbury Plains, Travers; Otago, Lindsay, Hector.

POLYMORPHY AND HYBRIDISM

1. Growth-forms. In very exposed situations and in the upper part of its range F. excorticata may be much reduced, with smaller lvs, but retains its trunked form. F. perscandens when growing without support assumes a ± ball-like form with interlacing branchlets. F. colensoi under like conditions assumes a somewhat similar habit. The forms assumed by F. procumbens have been mentioned. It is a pleasing subject for "hanging-basket" culture. On vegetative characters a linking series from the tree to the prostrate form could be assembled.

2. Heteromorphic flowers. G. M. Thomson (T.N.Z.I. 13, 1881, 263) remarks: "The genus Fuchsia is usually considered to have three representative species in New Zealand, viz., F. excorticata, F. colensoi, and F. procumbens, but I should really consider them as two widely divergent forms, with a great many intermediate gradations. They all agree, however, in the peculiarity of their flowers . . . Each of these kinds is dimorphic, possessing two very distinct forms of flowers . . . The larger form of flower is green and purple, an inch to an inch and a half long, stout, and with exserted anthers. These produce abundance of brilliant blue pollen . . . These flowers are hermaphrodite in function as well as in structure, but the stigma matures before the anthers, so that cross-fertilization must often take place. The other form of flower is much smaller, seldom exceeding five-eighths of an inch in length, pale green and pink in colour, and with very short stamens furnished with abortive anthers, which contain no pollen. These flowers, though hermaphrodite in structure, are pistillate in function."

Kirk (T.N.Z.I. 25, 1893, 261) described for F. excorticata and F. procumbens what he called long-, mid-, and short-styled forms, and for F. colensoi long- and mid-styled.

Godley (Ann. Bot., Lond. N. S. 19, 1955, 549-559) rejects Kirk's terms as not conforming to the classical conception of heterostyly. He distinguishes several types of floral heteromorphy. For F. excorticata : A. Hermaphrodite fls - Fl. length 24-51 mm. Protrusion of style above anther whorl (as percentage of style-length) 0-33%. B. Female fls - Fl. length 19-31 mm. Staminodes minute, projecting ± 2 mm. above tube. For F. perscandens he found the above forms also, but the fls consistently smaller. For F. procumbens he found 5 forms: A. Hermaphrodite-Stigma ± 2 mm. diam., level with anthers. Style of varying length. Fls with aborted stigmas sts present. B. Male, type α-Stamens slightly shorter. Stigma 0.75 mm. diam., about level with anthers, often shrivelling as fl. opens. Frs rare. C. Male, type β-Tube and anther length as in male, type α, but style always short, not projecting above mouth of tube. Stigma as in A. Frs rare. D. Female, type α- Fls ± ⅔ length of above types. Staminodes minute. Style 10-13 mm. long, protruding. Stigma as in hermaphrodite fls. E. Female, type β-Style longer than in female, type α, 12-17 mm. long. The fls of F. kirkii Hook. are of this form. The populations in which the different forms were found are mentioned.

3. Hybridism. Field evidence makes it almost certain that a number of forms attributed to F. colensoi are the progeny of the cross F. excorticata × perscandens. The assemblage of forms before Hooker when describing F. colensoi also appear to include hybrids, and it is not at all certain that Colenso's specimens are not also of hybrid origin. The complex needs experimental study. Allan (Genetica 9, 1927, 507) gave a somewhat detailed account of a hybrid swarm near Feilding. Cockayne and Allan (Ann. Bot., Lond. 48, 1934, 32) remark: "In certain forests where the undergrowth has been destroyed by cattle are now large swarms of this group." This refers to three forest remnants near Feilding, where both parents are common.

Dr. E. Godley has succeeded in making the cross F. excorticata × procumbens. In their second year the plants are erect shrubs with spreading branches.

The type at K-"144 Fuchsia n. sp. 1847, W. C." -shows lvs broad-ovate to suborbicular ± cordate at base, 12-22 × ± 15 mm., on slender petioles up to 12 mm. long; fls on peduncles ± 10 mm. long; sepals patent; stigma far-exserted.

Kirk (Stud. Fl. 1899, 181) describes the sp. as "A small erect or prostrate shrub with slender branchlets . . . In some places this species is less than 1 ft. in height; in others it produces unbranched flexuous subscandent shoots 8 ft.-9 ft. long."

Cheeseman (Man. N.Z. Fl. 1925, 618) gives a generalized description: "A small shrub with long straggling branches, sometimes producing slender flexuous unbranched shoots several feet in length. Leaves alternate, very variable in size, 1/2-2 in. long including the petiole, ovate of orbicular-ovate, rounded or cordate at base, thin and membranous, entire or obscurely toothed; petioles often longer than the blade. Flowers much as in F. excorticata, but shorter and proportionately broader, and petals smaller . . . This is either a very variable plant, or two very distinct forms are included in the present conception of the species."

The distribution of forms ± answering the description is: N., S., St. Lowland forest outskirts from Northern Wairoa River southwards. The sp. is maintained, meantime, as many of the localities are far outside the known occurrences of F. perscandens.