All about the dancing plant fuchsias, and how does it change its colours...

Fuchsias are closely related to the indigenous willow herb (Epilobium) and the yellow-flowered evening primirose (Oenothera biennis). The fuchsias belong to:

• The division of Angiospermae
• The class of Dycotyledons
• The order of Myrtales
• The family of Onargraceae

Nomenclature

The naming of fuchsias is regulated by the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants and thus is well established. Fuchsia names are most Latin and are related to the country of origin and characteristics of a plant. The name is usually made of two or more parts for example Fuchsia boliviana var.luxurians alba.

Fuchsias genus name

• Boliviana being the species name ; country of origin being Bolivia
• var.luxurians meaning luxury variety
• var abbreviation or short for variegate
• alba Latin word meaning white

The last part of the name describes the variety's colour. In the example here it deviates from the original red Fuchsia boliviana var.luxurians. The designation ssp is used for subspecies for example Fuchsia bacillaris ssp. Bacillaris. Crosses within the same species are known as Bastard species and are named thus: Fuchsia x bacillaris

The parts of the Fuchsia flower

The fuchsia flower comprise of:

1. the tube
2. the sepal
3. the petals
4. male stamens which have filaments and anthers
5. female ovary with the stigma and style

Classifying Fuchsia

It is next to impossible to classify fuchsias or to try and group them using colour descriptions alone. A much more accurate classification can be made by considering

• the shape of the flowers
• the method of growth of the leaves
• the shape of the ovary
• the shape of the tube and the positioning of the sepals and corolla
• the length of the style and stigma
• the stamens colour

It is also quiet difficult to give exact colour descriptions of fuchsia because the fuchsia can change colour rapidly depending on:

1. the position the fuchsia is planted. Outside or in containers; shady or sunny positions
2. the soil type and composition (acid, peaty, clay or alkaline soil)
3. the age of the plant
4. electrostaticity of the plant cells determined by the amounts of water in the soil
5. the fuchsia's feeding pattern.

There is the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) colour classification which uses a system of letters and numbers to give clues when determining the colours.

Colour descriptions in catalogues

When looking at catalogues - the first colour that is mentioned will always be referring to the outer petals or sepals of the fuchsia. The second colour will refer to the corolla. The description is also an indication of the ovary shape in the catalogues. The colour of the tube, sepals and anthers is also mentioned.