Correa (plant)

Correa
Correa reflexa, growing wild at Abercrombie Caves, NSW, Australia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Sapindales
Family:	Rutaceae
Genus:	Correa

Correa baeuerlenii

Correa alba

Correa is a genus of mainly eastern Australian plants with distinctive bell-shaped flowers. Correa is in the family Rutaceae, and like many in this family the crushed leaves have a distinctive scent. There are ca. 11 species in the genus, though natural hybridisation between the species makes taxonomic relationships within this genus problematic. Because it flowers in December and has a festive red and green appearance, one species has been named Christmas bush, an appellation shared by several Australian plants which bloom around the same time or are festively colored.

The genus correa is named after the Portuguese botanist José Correia da Serra (1750-1823), known as Abbé Correa.^[1]

Species

The species are as follows:^[2]

• Correa aemula (Lindl.) F.Muell. - Hairy Correa
• Correa alba Andrews - White Correa
• Correa backhouseana Hook. - Coast Correa
• Correa baeuerlenii F.Muell. - Chef's Hat Correa
• Correa calycina J.M.Black - South Australian Green Correa
• Correa decumbens F.Muell. - Spreading Correa
• Correa eburnea Paul G.Wilson - Deep Creek Correa
• Correa glabra Lindl. - Rock Correa
• Correa lawrenceana Hook. - Mountain Correa
• Correa pulchella Sweet - Salmon Correa
• Correa reflexa (Labill.) Vent. - Common Correa, Native Fuchsia

Cultivation

Many hybrids of Correa reflexa are grown in Australian gardens. Correas are generally easy to grow shrubs which prefer a partly shaded spot in the garden. Their flowers lack the fragrances so sought after in their relatives the Boronia.

References

1. ^ 1911 edition of Encyclopedia Britannica.
2. ^ "Correa". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, Canberra. http://www.anbg.gov.au/cgi-bin/apni?TAXON_NAME=CORREA. Retrieved 2009-05-05.