Onagraceae (Evening Primrose Family)
(First posted June 1, 2006 Last updated September 28, 2009)
California fuchsia is a slender-stemmed and much-branched herbacious perennial with toothed, green, lanceolate to ovate leaves that have a densely spreading-hairy and glandular pubescence. The lower leaves are generally opposite, the upper mostly alternate. The flowers are scarlet on short axillary stems, tubular-funnelform in shape with a basal bulge, with four two-cleft petals. There are eight stamens and one pistil, exserted. The species was formerly named Zauschneria californica. The blooming period is from August to September, which means that they are found during the deer season. California fuchsia grows at elevations of up to 10,000' in dry areas, rocky slopes and cliffs, and montane coniferous forest from San Diego Co. to Oregon. Highly variable. (CalFlora)
This specimen was found just below the road, above Bobcat where there is a seep. It was taken August 26, 2006. The plant was growning around a rocky outcropping. It is also found on Hummingbird, and is the reason it is called that, since hummingbirds frequent the long corolla flowers which are blooming during hunting season.
They are also found in Fern Creek. This was photographed Oct 27, 2005.
This specimen was found above the cabin, just higher than the bend at the top of Old Camp, on September 1, 2008:
The flowers form first lower down, then new ones bloom higher up as the old flowers fade and become seeds. Here is the seed at the bottom of the photograph above:
Here is a picture from UCI which shows the foliage nicely:
This speciment was collected on September 12, 2009,
and photographed with a Canon 30D with a black velvet background.