SCARLET FUCHSIA. 255 



from its great beauty, brought a high price foi? 

 several years, until its easy propagation became 

 generally known. 



This plant was named Fuchsia, in honour of 

 Leonard Fuch, a famous German botanist of the 

 sixteenth century ; and we do not find that it bears 

 any other name in Europe, nor have we been able 

 to ascertain its orifjinal South American name. 



We have placed the Fuchsia, in the language 

 of flowers, as the emblem of taste ; for with its 

 richly-coloured blossoms, there is a peculiar har- 

 mony and beauty in the unassuming appearance of 

 the flowers, which hang with so much gracefulness 

 from amongst the elegant-shaped foliage of this 

 plant. The length of the stamens also adds greatly 

 to the beauty of these pendent blossoms, having 

 the appearance of so many gems suspended from a 

 small roll of the richest violet-coloured ribbon, 

 over which the beautiful carmine calyx hangs like a 

 half-expanded parachute, allowing only a glimpse 

 of the purple petals to be seen between the open- 

 ings, the whole being headed by an emerald-co- 

 loured receptacle for the seed. The calyx-buds, 

 before they are expanded, have the appearance of 

 ripe barberries ; and the young branches and the 

 leaves of the plant have the veins tinged with the 

 same fine crimson colour, which contributes greatly 

 to the beauty of the plant. 



