Mimetes argentea, Knight, Prot. 67; Fl. Cap. vol. v. sect. i. p. 647.
We have previously figured species of Mimetes, viz. M. palustris (Pl. 36), M. hottentotica (Pl. 82) and M. capitulata (Pl. 58), and a comparison of the present Plate with the above will show that M. argentea differs from the former two species in the cylindric, not swollen, stigma, and from the latter in the larger leaves and the greater number of flowers in each head.
M. argentea, up to the time of the publication of the Flora Capensis, was only known from specimens collected by Roxburgh, Masson and Niven over one hundred years ago, and it was only recently that the species was rediscovered. In May 1923, Mr. A. T. Prentice collected specimens near Villiersdorp, very probably in the same locality visited by Masson. Mr. Prentice writes: “They were found on the slopes of the south (i.e. Villiersdorp) side of French Hoek Peak about 3000 ft. There were about 50 trees, 3-6 ft. high, and the habit is different from most of the Proteaceae I have noticed. I do not know how to describe it, but it is very open and something like a candelabra, branching all round. The flower spikes all stick straight up, in fact it grows like the advertised type of pruned apple-tree.� Mr. R. Hallack came across the species on the Hottentot Holland Mountains, and in June last Mr. T. P. Stokoe also collected it on the same mountain range. He had noted the plant two years previously, but was unable to obtain it in flower. It is from specimens forwarded by Mr. Stokoe that the present Plate was prepared.[{36}]
Description:—Shrub 4 ft. high; branches velvety-tomentose. Leaves 1½-2½ in. long, 1-1½ in. broad, elliptic or oblong-elliptic, with a subobtuse callus at the apex, entire, slightly narrowed to the base, indistinctly 9-nerved, very densely tomentose with adpressed silky hairs. Heads subsessile, 1½ in. long, including the styles, 7-9-flowered, axillary; involucral bracts about 3-seriate, coriaceous, the outer ovate-oblong, silky tomentose, the inner linear, long-villous; receptacle densely setose with long weak hairs. Perianth-tube very short, rusty-villous; segments 1 in. long, linear, rusty-villous; limb 4½ in. long, villous. Stamens 3 in. long; filaments swollen, fused with the perianth anthers 2¾ in. long, linear; apical gland 1/8 in. long, ovoid, acute. Hypogynous scales 1¼ in. long, linear, subacute, white. Ovary ¾ in. long, oblong, pubescent; style 1½ in. long, filiform, glabrous; stigma 3 in. long, linear, obtuse, furrowed, kneed at the junction with the style (National Herb. 2728).
Plate 128.—Fig. 1, a single head; Fig. 2, an involucral bract; Fig. 3, a single flower; Fig. 4, complete perianth segment and a limb showing position of the stamen; Fig. 5, stigma; Fig. 6, ovary.
F.P.S.A., 1924.