CHAP. IT.] THE GENUS FUCHSIA. 



CHAPTER IV. 



THE ORDER ONAGRACE^ : ILLUSTRATED BY THE DIFFERENT 

 KINDS OF FUCHSIA ; CENOTHERA, OR THE EVENING TREE- 

 PRIMROSE ; GODETIA ; EPILOBIUM, OR THE FRENCH WILLOW- 

 HERB ; AND CLARKIA. 



The type of this order is considered to be the 

 common evening Tree-primrose {CEnothera bien- 

 nis), and it takes its name from Onagra^ the 

 name given by Tournefort to the genus. The 

 Fuchsia seems so unlike the CEnothera, that it 

 appears difficult to any but a botanist to trace 

 the connexion between them ; but, botanically, 

 they agree in the position of the ovary, which 

 in both is so placed as to seem rather to belong 

 to the flower-stalk than to the flower ; and this 

 peculiarity is found in all the genera included in 

 the order. The parts of the flowers are also 

 always either two, four, eight, or twelve ; as, for 

 example, there are four petals and eight stamens 

 in both the Fuchsia and the CEnothera. 



THE GENUS FUCHSIA. 



Little more than fifty years ago, the first 

 Fuchsia was introduced into England ; and we 

 are told that small plants of it were sold at 



