The 40–50 species vary enormously in leaf size. The giant rhubarb, or Campos des Loges, native to the Serra do Mar mountains of southeastern Brazil, is perhaps the largest species, with or sub-reniform leaves typically long, not including the thick, succulentpetiole which may be up to in length. The width of the leaf blade is typically, but on two separate occasions cultivated specimens produced leaves fully in width, not far from the largest of all dicot leaves such as Victoria amazonica. The seeds germinate best in very moist, but not wet, conditions and temperatures of 22–29 °C. Only slightly smaller is G. masafuerae of the Juan Fernandez Islands off the Chilean coast. They can have leaves up to in width on stout leaf stalks long and thick according to Skottsberg. these leafstalks or petioles are the thickest of any dicot, and probably also the most massive. On nearby Isla Más Afuera, G. peltata frequently has an upright trunk to in height by thick, bearing leaves up to wide. The Hoja de Pantano of the Colombian Andes bears the largest leaf buds of any plant; up to long and thick. The succulent leaf stalks are up to long. The massive inflorescence of small, reddish flowers is up to long and weighs about 13 kg. Other giant Gunnera species are found throughout the Neotropics and Hawaii. Gunnera insignis is also known by the name "poor man's umbrella" in Costa Rica. Several small species are found in New Zealand, notably G. albocarpa, with leaves only 1–2 cm long, and also in South America, with G. magellanica having leaves 5–9 cm wide on stalks 8–15 cm long.
Taxonomy
The genus Gunnera was named after the Norwegian botanist Johann Ernst Gunnerus. At first it was assigned to the family Haloragaceae, though that presented difficulties that led to the general recognition of the family Gunneraceae, as had been proposed about the beginning of the 20th century. In the meantime in many publications it had been referred to as being in the Haloragaceae, variously misspelt Such references still cause difficulties in consulting earlier works. However, currently Gunnera is firmly assigned to the monogeneric family Gunneraceae.
;Species
Cyanobacterial symbiosis
At least some species of Gunnera host endosymbioticcyanobacteria such as Nostoc punctiforme The cyanobacteria provide fixed nitrogen to the plant, while the plant provides fixed carbon to the microbe. The bacteria enter the plant via glands found at the base of each leaf stalk and initiate an intracellular symbiosis which is thought to provide the plant with fixed nitrogen in return for fixed carbon for the bacterium. This intracellular interaction is unique in flowering plants and may provide insights to allow the creation of novel symbioses between crop plants and cyanobacteria, allowing growth in areas lacking fixed nitrogen in the soil.
Uses
The stalks of G. tinctoria, from Southern Chile and Argentina, are edible. Their principal use is fresh consumption, but also they are prepared in salads, liquor or marmalade. Leaves of this species are used in covering curanto. Gunnera perpensa is a source of traditional medicine in Southern Africa, both in veterinary and human ailments, largely in obstetric and digestive complaints, but also as a wound dressing. It also is eaten in various ways, largely the petioles, flower stalks and leaves, fresh and raw, preferably with skins and fibre removed, which is said to remove bitterness, but also cooked. The plant also is said to be used in making a beer.
