Correa

Location & distribution maps

Phylogeny & links to associated information:

Wikipedia links:       Angiosperms  > Eudicots > Rosids >  Sapindales > Rutaceae  > Correa 

Other links:    

Plant  information

Common name:                unknown  

Conservation status:  unknown

Etymology:   

Flowers:                  

• The flowers are bisexual and are arranged in cymes in leaf axils or on the ends of branchlets

• The four sepals are fused, at least at the base, forming a cup-shaped calyx

• The four petals are usually fused for most of their length to form a tubular corolla and the eight stamens are free from each other

• There are four carpels fused at the base, the four styles are fused and the stigma is similar to the style

Fruit:                         

• The follicles contain up to two dull brown seed that are released explosively

Leaves:         

• Simple leaves arranged in opposite pairs

Stem & branches: 

Roots:         

Habit:        

• Shrubs to small trees

Habitat:   

Distribution:                  

• Endemic to Australia

Species:                     

• World:           11 species

• Australia:     11 species

Additional notes:     

• Taxonomy

  • The genus Correa was first formally described in 1798 by Henry Cranke Andrews in The Botanist's Repository for New, and Rare Plants and the first species he described was Correa alba

  • The genus is named after the Portuguese botanist José Correia da Serra (1750–1823), known as Abbé Correa

• Species list (Australian Plant Census as at July 2020)

  • Correa aemula     (S.A., Vic.) - hairy correa

  • Correa alba     (S.A., N.S.W., Vic., Tas.) - white correa

    • C. alba var. alba     (N.S.W., Vic., Tas.)

    • C. alba var. pannosa     (S.A., Vic.) - velvet white correa

    • C. alba var. rotundifolia      (Tas.) - Dunally correa

  • Correa backhouseana      (W.A., S.A., Vic., Tas.)

    • C. backhouseana var. backhouseana     (Vic., Tas.) - coast correa, velvet correa

    • C. backhouseana var. coriacea     (W.A., S.A.)

    • C. backhouseana var. orbicularis     (Kangaroo Island) - round-leaf correa

  • Correa baeuerlenii     (N.S.W.)  - chef's hat correa

  • Correa calycina - South Australian green correa

    • Correa calycina var. calycina - Hindmarsh correa

    • Correa calycina var. halmaturorum - De Mole River correa

  • Correa decumbens     (S.A.) - spreading correa

  • Correa eburnea     (S.A.) - Deep Creek correa

  • Correa glabra     (S.A., Qld., N.S.W., Vic.) - rock correa

    • C. glabra Lindl. var. glabra    (Qld., N.S.W., Vic.)

    • C. glabra var. leucoclada    (S.A.,N.S.W.)

    • C. glabra var. turnbullii     (S.A.) - narrow-bell correa

  • Correa lawrenceana     (N.S.W., A.C.T., Vic. Tas.) - mountain correa

    • C. lawrenceana var. cordifolia     (N.S.W., A.C.T., Vic.) - pink mountain-correa

    • C. lawrenceana var. genoensis     (N.S.W., Vic.) - Genoa River correa.

    • C. lawrenceana var. glandulifera     (Qld., N.S.W.)

    • C. lawrenceana var. grampiana     (Vic.) - Grampians mountain-correa

    • C. lawrenceana. var. latrobeana     (N.S.W., Vic.)

    • C. lawrenceana Hook. var. lawrenceana     (Tas., A.C.T.)

    • C. lawrenceana var. macrocalyx     (N.S.W.)

    • C. lawrenceana var. rosea     (N.S.W.) - red mountain correa

  • Correa pulchella     (S.A.) - salmon correa

  • Correa reflexa     (S.A., Qld., N.S.W., A.C.T., Vic., Tas.) - common correa, native fuchsia

    • C. reflexa  var. reflexa - Common Correa

    • C. reflexa var. angustifolia      (Vic.) - Grampians correa

    • C. reflexa var. insularis      (S.A.)

    • C. reflexa var. lobata     (Vic.) - Powelltown correa

    • C. reflexa var. nummulariifolia     (Tas.) - roundleaf correa

    • C. reflexa Paul G.Wilson var. reflexa     (S.A., Qld., N.S.W., A.C.T., Vic., Tas.) - western correa

    • C. reflexa var. scabridula     (S.A., Vic.) - western correa

    • C. reflexa var. speciosa     (N.S.W., Vic.) - eastern correa

• Use in horticulture

  • Many Correa hybrids are grown in Australian gardens

  • They are generally easy to grow

  • Correa alba and C. glabra varieties are the hardiest withstanding heavy frost and severe droughts

  • They can be grown in either full sun or a partly shaded spot in the garden

  • Correa glabra varieties have fragrant leaves

  • Correa lawrenceana is the largest of the correas

  • These need to be grown in the shade and do best in an understorey habitat

  • They are highly attractive to birds for both nectar and nest sites and are ideally planted in a thicket

  • Correa pulchella varieties produce the most beautiful coloured bells ranging from pale pink to deep orange to carmine

  • They need to be grown in part shade and watered regularly. Correa reflexa varieties range in colour from green to deep red

  • They also need to be grown in a partly shaded position and watered regularly

  • Some Correa species, such as C. eburnea and C. calycina, are endangered and difficult to obtain in the nursery trade

  • There are also hundreds of named cultivars, many of which have been registered with the Australian Cultivar Registration Authority (ACRA)

  • In cultivation in the UK the following species and cultivars have received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:-

    • Correa backhouseana

    • Correa pulchella

    • Correa reflexa

    • Correa 'Dusky Bells'

    • Correa 'Mannii'

Sources of information:

• (2023)