Fuchsia microphylla, also known as small leaf fuchsia and small-leaved fuchsia, is a flowering shrub in the family Onagraceae.[1] The specific epithet (microphylla) was named for the plant's small (micro) leaves (phylla).
Fuchsia microphylla is native to southern Mexico south to Panama.[2] It can be found growing in oak and pine woods in Mexico or low thickets and exposed rocky places in Guatemala between 1200and in elevation.
It is a deciduous to semi-evergreen shrub which grows to 1.8abbr=offNaNabbr=off in height at a medium rate[3] and has a spread width of 3abbr=offNaNabbr=off.[1] It is herbaceous, perennial, and hermaphrodite and is pollinated by insects. It flowers from September to October and attracts wildlife. It is hardy to UK zone 9 and USDA zones 8–11, and is not frost tolerant. It is cold hardy to 10F15F with wall shelter. It grows well in light, medium, and heavy soils and prefers moist, well-drained soils. It is suitable for acid, neutral, and basic soils, and grows best in light and semi-shade conditions. The fruit is edible and is dark in color, round in shape, and measures up to 1.5 centimeters in diameter, although it normally measures 5 millimeters in diameter. The flavor is said to be sweet but mild.[3] The plant is variable but usually grows erect, although in more shady woodland can develop climbing habits with stems 500abbr=offNaNabbr=off long. It normally forms clumps or bushes. It is both dioecious and self-fertile.[4] The flowers are not fragrant and are tubular, pendent, and pink in color, and are very small. The leaves measure up to 4 centimeters in length, although are normally much smaller. They are generally oblanceolate to obovate in shape, although can be ovate or lanceolate and are usually toothed, though some varieties are not.[2] New growth is red and the plant can be grown in a pot. Plants in the section Encliandra are defined by the protrusion of only four stamens from the flower tube, rather than eight. The other four stamens are enclosed within the tube.[5]
The plant is grown as an ornamental and the berries are collected locally and eaten.[4]
Fuchsia microphylla is vulnerable to whiteflies, capsid bugs, red spider mites, rust, aphids, black vine weevil, smut, gray mold, fuchsia gall mite, and fuchsia flea beetle.[5] It is resistant to honey fungus and rabbits.[6]
Fuchsia × bacillaris, a natural hybrid between Fuchsia microphylla and Fuchsia thymifolia, was documented in 1832.[7]
| Image | Name | Description | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuchsia microphylla subsp. aprica (Lundell) Breedlove | Leaf blades elliptic and atteuate at the base, 1.5–2.5 cm long x 0.5–1 (–1.5) cm; glabrous on flower and leaves; flowers are magenta. | Mexico (Chiapas), El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras. Found between 2700–. | |
| Fuchsia microphylla subsp. chiapensis (Brandegee) P.E.Berry & Breedlove | Leaf blades cunate at the base, 3–4 cm long x 1.5–2 cm wide; pubescent on flora tube, young stems and leaves; flowers are red.[8] | El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico (Chiapas) in montane rainforest, evergreen cloud forest, and wet pine-oak forest at elevations between 1800–. | |
| Fuchsia microphylla subsp. hemsleyana (Woodson & Seibert) Breedlove | Petiole 4–15 mm long; flowers are red. | Costa Rica, Panama in the understory of evergreen cloud forests on the high volcano between 1500–. | |
| Fuchsia microphylla subsp. hidalgensis (Munz) Breedlove | Flowers are white. | Mexico (SE. Hidalgo to N. Puebla) in mixed evergreen forest with Pinus and Quercus between 1600–. | |
| Fuchsia microphylla subsp. microphylla Kunth | Flowers are magenta. | Mexico (Jalisco, Hidalgo, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Veracruz) in Pinus, Quercus, and Abies montane cloud forest between 2100–. | |
| Fuchsia microphylla subsp. quercetorum Breedlove | Flowers are red. | Mexico (Chiapas), Guatemala in open Pinus, Quercus, and Liquidambar forest between 1500–. | |