Tab. 4281 . 
BEGONIA FucHsioiDEs. 
Fuchsia-like Begonia, or Elephants Ear. 
Nat. Ord. Begoniace^e.—Moncecia Polyandria. 
Gen. Char. {Vide supra, Tab. 4172). 
Begonia ; subdioica, caule erecto ramoso glaberrimo, foliis semioyatis 
obliquis subfalcatis acutis serratis cibatis, paniculis in ramos tenmnalibus 
floribusqne pendentibus; masc. sepaUs 4 in globum conniventibus quorum 
2 int. oblongis minoribus, 2 ext. majoribus ovatis camosis cymbifoimibus , 
fcem. petalis 5 ovatis conniventibus, ovario fructuque triatato ala unica multo 
majore, pedicellis triquetris. 
A most lovely new Begonia, detected by Mr. Purdie on the 
Ocana mountains of New Grenada, during his mission for the 
Royal Gardens of Kew. It is easily propagated by cuttings, 
rapidly, bears small but copious foliage, and is a plant to \\ Inch he 
particularly requested our attention, on account of the copious, 
elegant, drooping, red flowers, at first sight resembling those of 
a Fuchsia and because it is much eaten to allay thirst by me 
Arrieros (mule-drivers) of the country. He also observes that 
the globular buds (meaning, probably, the buds of the fertile 
blossoms, which are globular) contain a fluid, which, together 
with the acid of the flowers, proves highly grateful 
season and where there are no rivers. It has blooined during 
the autumn months with Mr. Veitch of Exeter, and he has at this 
time (December 18th) one plant three feet high loaded with the 
richly-coloured flowers. It has been three months in bloom, and 
has abundance of buds yet to expand. Our plants are noYv% a 
mid-winter, beginning to flower. It is singular that, as tar as 
they have yet blossomed,the plants have proved only male-flowered, 
except the tall one of Mr. Veitch, which has one cluster ot tema e 
flowers at the top, and of which tw’o are represented at fig. 2. 
Descr. Stem erect, two to three feet high, terete, succulent, 
glabrous, slightly tinged with red. Leaves copious, distichous, 
alternate, rather small, about an inch and a half long, dark Im 
green, obliquely oblong-ovate, slightly falcate, acute, serrated, 
FEBRUARY IST, 1847. 
