THE FUCHSIA. 
145 
THE FUCHSIA. 
WITH AN ILLUSTRATION OF F. DEPENDENS. 
This very beautiful new member of the popular genus Fuchsia, 
is one of the many fine things introduced through the enterprise 
of Messrs. Veitch and Son, and the labours of their indefatigable 
collector, Mr. W. Lobb. It is a Peruvian species, remarkable 
for the number and rich colour of its flowers, and also for their 
disposition on the plant; from the erect main stem the branches 
proceed in a horizontal position, in opposite pairs, or occasionally 
in whorls of three, four, or more, each one starting from the 
axil of a large, bright green, ovate, acute leaf, and terminating 
in a dense corymb of flowers, which, in size and colour, remind 
one of F. corymbijlora; the corolla is absent, and the broad 
spreading sepals are tipped with bright green; owing to the 
regular divergence of the branches, the flowers hang gracefully 
on all sides of the plants, and by reason of the difference in 
length of the lower and upper or younger branches, a pyramidal 
outline is assumed, which of all others is best calculated to show 
the flowers to most advantage. A very accurate idea may be 
gained of the appearance of the entire plant from the sketch 
which occupies part of the plate. It must be mentioned, this 
pleasing regularity of form is not due to any art in the cultivation, 
but is the natural aspect of every plant grown with a single stem ; 
and, from the happy conspicuity thus given to the blossoms, we 
opine the species is likely to become a great favorite, dhe only 
other kind possessing flowers of equal size and magnificence 
(F. corymbijlora) is disfigured by its straggling habit and naked 
stems ; here, however, we have all its beauty collected m a neat 
form, the centre of the plant filled with ample reclining foliage, 
over which the brilliant masses of flowers fall in rich profusion: 
the special name dependens is very appropriate, for branches, 
leaves, and flowers are all gracefully pendent, not so much as to 
give a weeping character to the plant, but sufficient to allow the 
succeeding tier to be seen unconnected and distinct from the 
preceding. 
In its cultivation, there is no peculiarity, we believe, to mark 
13 
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