Fuchsia procumbens

Fuchsia procumbens is a prostrate shrub that is endemic to coastal areas of the North Island of New Zealand. Common names include creeping fuchsia, climbing fuchsia or trailing fuchsia.

Vegetative characteristics
Its stems are slender, creeping, and weakly woody. They can climb heights of close to 1 m on small shrubs. The circular, 7–12 mm big leaves, which are attached singly to the stem, have dentate leaf margins, as well as trichomes on the surface.

Generative characteristics
The erect, radially symmetrical flowers with a yellow floral tube do not have any petals. Instead, it has four sepals, which display orange and green coloration. This contrasts with the blue pollen, which is a distinctive character of the Pacific Fuchsia clade. The pollen is producen in eight stamens.

Habitat
Small populations occur in coastal areas of New Zealand's northern island. It grows in sand in proximity to the tide lines.

Pollination
Little is known about seed dispersal and pollination in Fuchsia procumbens. However, there have been speculations on pollination and seed dispersal through lizards, as well as reports on seed dispersal through invertebrates.

Phylogeny
It belongs to a South Pacific lineage that diverged from all other Fuchsia species around 30 million years ago. Fuchsia procumbens diverged from the other New Zealand (and Tahitian) species around 18 million years ago.

Cladogram
The following relationships were reported:

Reproduction
Fuchsia procumbens is trioecious (i.e. subdioecious). Hermaphrodite, male, and female plants occur. Both male and female plants have two different types, which differ in the length of the style. Unisexual populations are thought to be able to persevere due to the vegetative reproduction by rooting along the creeping stems.

Synonym status of Fuchsia kirkii
The species Fuchsia kirkii was described by Joseph Hooker in 1871 based on the male form of Fuchsia procumbens. Thereafter he recognized sexual dimorphism as the source of the perceived differences between the species.

Section Procumbentes
In the year 1995 Fuchsia procumbens was placed in the monotypic section Procumbentes due to significant differences from the remaining Pacific Fuchsia clade.

Etymology
The specific epithet procumbens refers to the sprawling growth habit of the plant.

Cytology
The diploid chromosome count is 2n = 22.

Conservation
It has been categorized as "At risk – naturally uncommon" by the Threatened and uncommon plants of New Zealand list of 2009.

Fruit
The small, red, crunchy fruit is edible, although rarely eaten. It has been described as slimy and bland.

Horticulture
It is commonly cultivated in gardens.