FUCHSIA EXCORTICATA. 5h 
years. During the great fire of 1885-86 in the Taranaki District, when miles of 
fencing were destroyed, fuchsia posts were untouched, or at most were scorched 
but never charred. 
It is prized for ornamental cabinetwork, inlaying, picture-frames, inkstands, 
and ornamental turnery in general. 
The wood contains 5°3 per cent. of tannin, according to an analysis made 
at the Colonial Museum. 
DISTRIBUTION OF THE GENUS. 
Fuchsia comprises about fifty species, confined exclusively to South 
America and New Zealand; but only three species are found in the colony. In 
South America they are plentiful from Mexico to Magellan Strait. 
DistTRIBUTION OF THE SPECIES. 
Fuchsia excorticata occurs from the North Cape to Stewart Island, and 
ascends from the sea-level to 3,o00ft. 
OTHER NEW ZEALAND SPECIES OF FUCHSIA. 
F, excorticata and F. Colensoi are alike characterized by pendulous flowers 
with the calyx-tube constricted so as to form a rounded portion immediately 
above the ovary, and minute, almost inconspicuous, petals. F. Colensoi is a 
small species often procumbent or sub-erect, and frequently climbing amongst 
shrubs by means of its long simple shoots. It occurs from the Waikato to 
Stewart Island. fF. procumbens is a small procumbent species with orbicular 
leaves, and erect flowers destitute of petals. It is confined to a few littoral 
habitats north of the Waitemata, and is one of the most charming plants in the 
flora. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Fuchsia excorticata, Linné f. 
A shrub or small tree, sometimes 45ft. high; trunk, rft. to 3ft. in diameter, 
clothed with brown papery bark. Leaves alternate, glabrous, 1}in. to qin. long, 
lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, acute or acuminate, with minute distant serra- 
tures; petioles slender. Flowers axillary, solitary, jin. to rin. long, pendulous, 
on long slender peduncles. Calyx-tube constricted above the ovary, funnel- 
shaped; segments, four, acute, reflexed or recurved; petals, four, minute, 
inserted at the mouth of the calyx. Stamens, eight, varying in length in 
different plants. Ovary, four-celled; style varying in length. Fruit, a pen- 
dulous berry. The flowers are produced from August to December. 
Var. B, intermedia. An erect shrub or small tree. Leaves on slender 
petioles, ovate, acuminate, in. to rin. long, margins minutely toothed, silvery 
beneath, and extremely membranous. 
EXPLANATION OF Pirates XXXVI. and XXXVIa~. 
XXXVI. Fuchsia excorticata, Linnéf. 1 and 2. Mid-styled and short-styled 
forms, natural size. . 
XXXVIa. Fuchsia excorticata, Linné f. 1. Flower of long-styled form. 
2. Flower of mid-styled form. 3. Flower of short-styled form. 1’, 2’, 3’. Dia- 
grammatic drawing, showing the corolla laid open and the relative lengths of the 
styles and stamens of each form. 4. Fruit. 5. Longitudinal section of fruit. 
6. Transverse section of fruit. 7 and 8. Pollen-grains; to show the tubes break- 
ing through their walls. All magnified. 
