42 CUPHEA VISCOSISSIMA. BLUE WAX-WEED. 



is derived from a Greek word signifying " curved," The com- 

 mon crape myrtle of our gardens, which belongs to the same 

 natural order of Lythracecs, may give some general idea of the 

 family relations, while the well-known cigar flower, Ciiphea 

 platycentra, will afford ready means of comparison. 



The plant is a most interesting one to study, as showing how 

 very little differences in structure will lead to great diversity 

 in organization. One would not at first sight suppose there was 

 any very close relationship between Cup/iea viscosissima and the 

 common garden Fuchsia., and when the student turns to his 

 text-book of botanical classification he finds them widely sepa- 

 rated. But there is really little difference essentially. The 

 calyx in Cuphea, as seen in our present species, is not united 

 with the ovary, and the former is in botanical language inferior; 

 but in the Fuchsia the calyx is so completely united with the 

 ovary that we see no trace of it until we are beyond the berry, 

 and we say then the calyx is superior. It is only a more com- 

 plete union of calyx with ovary, that makes what might be an 

 Oiiograceous plant {Fuchsia) a Lythraceous one {Cupheci). Again, 

 if we compare it with a mock orange {PJiiladelphus) or com- 

 mon garden Deutzia (order Saxifragacecs), we shall note that 

 these have several pistils, while in Cuphea there is but one. 

 Normally, however, there are more, and our plant is to be re. 

 garded of so distinct an order simply from the fact that they 

 have been consolidated into one. These little facts help the 

 student much in the knowledge of the relationships of the great 

 families of plants. 



Our species has not been found worthy of being admitted to 

 gardens so far, but in a wild state we note a tendency to variation 

 in the size of the petals, and no doubt careful selection might 

 find some forms capable of floral improvement. It is named Ctc- 

 phea viscosissima — the very clamrny Cuphea — from the extreme 

 viscidity of its exudations, greater perhaps than in any other 

 species of the genus. The plant is, indeed, quite as clammy as 

 the Drosera, which is supposed to make use of its glandular 



