FUCHSIA FULGENS. 
183 
If any importance be attached to a name and type^ then, the first plant upon 
which was conferred the title of Fuchsia in honour of the German botanist Fuchs^ 
ought to be assumed as the type of the genus. That plant was the beautiful old 
F. coccinea^ and it is one which embraces every generic mark that is regarded as 
essential. Now the corolla of this species consists of four complete and distinct 
(blue or purple) petals folded into a hollow tube, one enclosing and lapping over 
the other (a structure which now is botanically styled a convolute estivation). 
Every plant referred to the genus Fuchsia, subsequently introduced, and which 
does not present this leading feature, but differs from its type by having its petals 
open and distinct, instead of being convolutely folded together, ought, w^e suggest, 
to be removed from the genus. We are perfectly aware that by so doing we should 
displace F. microphylla and some others ; yet if we are to ever attain to a correct ar- 
rangement, it would be preferable to construct a new genus, to retaining members 
which do violence to the leading type. F. fulgens sports occasionally into 5 divisions 
of the calyx ; it displays four open and distinct petals, and differs in its physiology 
from every true Fuchsia.^ and most essentially in the root. 
No one can look at it without being struck at the peculiarity of its figure and 
texture ; the position also of its terminal clusters of flowers is entirely different from 
that of all the true Fuchsias^ the flowers of the latter being axillary, and never 
terminal. 
As the Natural system of botany is every day gaining ground, it becomes an 
object of great interest to ascertain, and arrange accordingly, the links which form 
the strictest affinity, not only in the floral organs, but in the entire physiological 
structure of the plants. An artificial system might be made to embrace subjects 
which differ widely in every essential feature ; and this is the vice which, to a 
greater or less extent, is said to degrade the Linnaean classification : but we of the 
present day ought not to rest contented with the floral organs alone, when we are 
endeavouring to class naturally — or in other words — according to the affinities 
indicated by Nature. But this is not the place in which we should attempt to 
examine the merits or defects of system ; another opportunity may be afforded, 
wherein we shall be able to elucidate the science of botanical arrangement, and to 
exhibit a simple method of acquiring a practical knowledge of physiological and 
structural botany, by the aid of dissection, under Ross's single microscope. 
We have above endeavoured to exhibit those distinctive points which threaten 
to remove fulgens and some other species from the genus Fuchsia ; but in strict 
justice we must not withhold the fact that hybrids have been, and still are, pro- 
duced between fulgens and the varieties of glohosa. There is one species which so 
evidently partakes of the qualities of both parents, as to leave no shade of doubt con- 
cerning the process of impregnation. Thus in F. Standishii, the shrubby character 
of glohosa prevails, and the flowers assume much of the tint and position of that 
parent. Still, however, in the foliage it approaches to that of fulgens. One little 
plant was inspected about the 21st June 1840 ; it was so covered with large axillary 
