A schism has arisen on the subject of this genus among modern botanists; from whom we must, however, exclude the celebrated author of Miller’s New Gardeners’ Dictionary; who, in this instance, has preserved the genus entire. Three genera have, as usual, been made out of one; the Cape species are denominated Veltheimias; those known under the names of A. zeylanica and A. guineensis, are termed Sansevieras; A. farinosa and A. fragrans being the only remnants of the original genus. Such are the happy effects, of modern scrutiny, upon the works of the antiquated Linnæus! and such might be the answer of these illuminati, which poor Gradus, in the farce of Who’s the Dupe, gives to his mistress, when questioned upon the utility of his labours; alas, how else should our merit be discovered, but by elancing from the old track of plain sense and nature.[Pg 37]
PLATE CCCVII.
PROTEA GLOBOSA.
Globe-flowered Protea.
CLASS IV. ORDER I.
TETRANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Four Chives. One Pointal.
ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.
Corolla 4-fida, seu 4-petala. Antheræ lineares, insertæ petalis infra apicem. Calyx proprius nullus. Semina solitaria.