MA I797522 TePapa Creeping fuchsia fuscia
Sarah Featon also illustrated creeping fuchsia (Fuchsia procumbens), a native coastal plant found naturally in northern New Zealand. Its tiny upright flowers are unusual, with bright colours and striking blue pollen. Unlike tree fuchsia, which is mainly bird-pollinated, the original pollination system of creeping fuchsia remains uncertain. In 1987, herpetologist Tony Whitaker suggested that geckos might pollinate it, but the idea has not been conclusively demonstrated. The plant produces fleshy berries containing seeds and can also spread through creeping stems. Even with today's scientific knowledge, we don't have every answer about how our native plants reproduce.