BEGONIA FUCHSIOIDES. 
(Fuchsia-like Begonia.) 
Class. 
MONGECIA. 
Order. 
POLYANDRIA. 
Natural Order. 
BEGONIACEJE. 
Genkric Character.— Male flowers.— Calyx wanting. 
Corolla polypetalous ; petals commonly four, unequal. 
Female flowers. — Calyx wanting. Corolla with from 
four to nine petals, generally unequal. Styles three, 
bifid. Capsule triquetrous, winged, three-celled, many- 
Specific Character.— Plant a shrub. "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 full green, obliquely oblong-ovate, slightly falcate, 
acute, serrated, glabrous, the margins obscurely ciliated, 
often tinged with red. Stipules oblong, obtuse, coloured. 
Flowers on dichotomously branched, pendent panicles, 
dioecious, rarely monoecious ; all of a rich, deep, scarlet 
colour. Pedicels bracteated ; bracteas lanceolate, acu- 
minate, opposite. Male flowers. — Sepals four, almost 
closed over the stamens ; two ovate, large and boat- 
shaped, thick and fleshy, opposite and external ; the 
other two smaller, oblong, or approaching to obovate, 
slightly concave, of a thinner, almost membranous, 
texture. Column of stamens forming an ovate mass. 
Female flowers. — Sepals five, rarely spreading, oval, 
nearly equal, concave. Stigmas six, erecto-patent, 
subulate, waved. Ovary of the young fruit white, 
broadly obovate, triangular, the angles winged ; two 
wings very short, and one long, divergent ; all red, and 
decurrent, so as to form a triangular pedicel."— 
Bot. Mag. 
We have frequently of late spoken highly of the ornamental and useful character 
of many species of this genus. The usefulness consists in their capability of con- 
tinuing to bloom for a very long time, and in the property of bearing their blossoms 
at a time of the year when flowers are extremely scarce. The knowledge of this 
last feature, and the beauty of our present subject, and many others, was nearly 
unknown until the introduction of some really fine species, a few years ago, brought 
the plants more immediately under the notice of cultivators and collectors. 
Not any of the kinds either new or old are equal to the present subject, and no 
species is so likely to promote the growing favour with which this family is regarded. 
It first appeared in public at a meeting of the Horticultural Society in Regent 
Street, during the autumn of last year, where it was sent by Messrs. Veitch and 
Son, of Exeter, who obligingly furnished us at the same time with the specimen 
from which our drawing was made. 
To the Royal Gardens at Kew belongs the merit of introducing this acquisition 
to our collections, probably in the year 1845. Mr. Purdie, late in the employ of the 
Kew Establishment, as collector, discovered it growing in New Grenada, from 
whence he sent it home. 
From most of its fellows it differs considerably in being more shrubby, and 
having smaller leaves. These characteristics render it, if well grown, an interesting 
plant at all times, but especially so when it blossoms, particularly as it flowers 
through the most dreary parts of the year. 
VOL. XIV. NO. CLXVI. F F 
