Blossom 4-cleft or four petalled. Tips linear, inserted into the petals below the point. Cup proper, none. Seeds solitary.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Protea foliis lanceolatis, undulatis, rubro marginatis, pilosis; squamis calycis tricoloratis; capitulo erecto, terminali.
Protea with lance-shaped leaves, waved, margined with red and hairy; scales of the cup three-coloured; flower head upright, and terminal.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. A Floret complete with the seed-bud.
2. The four Petals of the same, with the Tips shewn at their ends.
3. Pointal and Seed-bud.
This Protea, from the Cape of Good Hope, merits the attention of those who wish to beautify their collections, with distinguished objects; as, it flowers the third year from the seed, and is equally handsome with Protea mellifera. The cone for two months before it opens is extremely beautiful, and it is in flower nearly one more; and this, at a time when the plant has, scarcely, attained a foot in height. It is not inclined to branch till it has flowered, but from the lower part of the cone the branches begin to extend. The leaves from their hairiness have a whitish appearance, are finely edged with a light pink, and are slightly waved. It is propagated by cuttings, should be planted in light sandy loam, and flowers in September. Our drawing was made from a plant in the Hibbertian collection; to which it was introduced by Mr. Niven, in the year 1799, amongst the first seeds which were sent, by him, from the Cape.[Pg 510]
