This species of Protea was collected early in 1921 by Mr. T. P. Stokoe. At the time there was some doubt about its identity, and it was provisionally placed under P. speciosa. Recently we received more and better material from the same collector, and have no hesitation in describing it as a species allied to P. speciosa. It differs from this species in having shorter tufts of hairs at the apices of the involucral bracts and the awns of the perianth are much longer and subequal. The species belongs to a section of the genus Speciosae, which is characterised by having the inner involucral bracts fringed with long hairs or bearded. A comparison should be made with Plates 22, 76 and 84, which illustrate examples of other sections of the genus.
The first specimens collected by Mr. Stokoe came from an isolated krantz on a peak directly opposite Kogelberg on the land side, and subsequently he found specimens also on high peaks facing Kogelberg, but on the seaward side. It probably does not occur lower than an altitude of 3000 ft. The plant is a spreading bush about 6 ft. high (not so compact as P. speciosa), and grows with such moisture-loving plants as Mimetes hottentotica and M. splendens. The young leaves have a fringe of longish white hairs.
Description:—Branches glabrous. Leaves 7-9 cm. long, 3-4 cm. broad, obovate, obovate-oblong, more rarely elliptic-lanceolate, rounded and slightly emarginate at the apex, slightly narrowed to the base, leathery, with reddish margins, quite glabrous. Head sessile, 10-11 cm. long, 5·5 cm. in diameter. Involucral bracts 9-10-seriate; the outermost 1·5-2 cm. long, ovate-oblong, rounded at the apex, densely silky pubescent, ciliate with white hairs with a small tuft of brown hairs at the apex; the innermost 9 cm. long, 2·5 cm. broad above, spathulate, silky pubescent, except at the base, with a fringe of dark-brown hairs at the apex about 3 mm. long. Receptacle 2 cm. long, conical. Perianth-sheath 5·5 cm. long, dilated and 3-keeled below, glabrous; lip 1·2 cm. long, shortly but densely villous, 3-awned; lateral awns 1·8 cm. long, linear, acuminate, shortly but densely villous, tipped with a few brown hairs; median awn 1·5 cm. long, otherwise similar. Stamens all fertile; anthers 8 mm. long, linear, with a pink linear apical gland. Ovary covered with long, golden-brown hairs; style 6 cm. long, subterete, slightly curved, very sparsely pilose below; stigma 6 mm. long, linear; scarcely bent at junction with style (Type in National Herb. Pretoria, No. 2632).
[Plate 100.]—Fig. 1, receptacle; Fig. 2, complete flower; Fig. 3, lamina showing the three awns and stamens; Fig. 4, pistil; Fig. 5, apex of style and stigma.
F.P.S.A., 1923.
S. Gower del.