Correa is a genus of eleven species of flowering shrubs and small trees in the family Rutaceae (citrus family), order Sapindales. All species are endemic to Australia, where they grow across a range of temperate and Mediterranean-climate regions from Western Australia through South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, and the Australian Capital Territory.\n\nPlants in the genus share a distinctive floral form: the four petals are typically fused for most of their length to create a tubular or bell-shaped corolla, often pendulous, which has earned many species the common name "native fuchsia." The flowers are bisexual and arranged in cymes in leaf axils or at the ends of branchlets. The calyx is formed by four fused sepals, and eight free stamens extend from the corolla. Leaves are simple and arranged in opposite pairs. The fruit is a follicle containing up to two dull brown seeds that are released explosively when ripe.\n\nThe genus was first formally described in 1798 by British botanist Henry Cranke Andrews in The Botanist's Repository for New, and Rare Plants, with Correa alba as the type species. It is named in honour of the Portuguese botanist José Correia da Serra (1750–1823). Notable species include Correa reflexa (common correa or native fuchsia), one of the most widespread species, and the mountain correa Correa lawrenciana, which can reach small-tree stature in moist gully habitats.\n\nCorreas are popular in Australian horticulture for their long flowering season, attracting honeyeaters with their tubular blooms. Several species and numerous cultivated hybrids are grown as ornamental garden shrubs across temperate Australia and in similar climates worldwide.
Etymology
The genus name Correa honours the Portuguese botanist and diplomat José Correia da Serra (1750–1823), also known as Abbé Correa, a prominent figure in early nineteenth-century natural history. The genus was formally established by Henry Cranke Andrews in 1798.
Distribution
Correa is entirely endemic to Australia. Species are distributed across temperate and southern regions including South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, Western Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory. Individual species often have restricted ranges within this area.
Cultivation
Correas are widely cultivated in Australian gardens as ornamental shrubs valued for their long flowering season (often autumn through winter) and the abundant tubular flowers that attract nectar-feeding honeyeaters. Many species tolerate drought and frost once established, and numerous hybrid cultivars have been developed for horticultural use. They perform best in well-drained soils in full sun to part shade.
Taxonomy Notes
The genus was formally described in 1798 by Henry Cranke Andrews, with Correa alba as the first described species. According to the Australian Plant Census (as of July 2020), eleven species are accepted, several with multiple subspecies and varieties. The genus belongs to the family Rutaceae, order Sapindales, and is placed in the class Magnoliopsida (eudicots).
