Mimetes capitulata, R. Br. in Trans. Linn. Soc. vol. x. p. 106; Fl. Cap. vol. v. sect. i. p. 644.
The genus Mimetes constitutes a small group of South African Proteaceae of nine species, all confined to the South-Western area of the Cape Province. The genus was first founded by Salisbury, but for over one hundred years afterwards plants belonging to two other distinct genera were placed under the name Mimetes. One of these, Orothamnus Zeyheri, we figured on Plate 38 of this work. Like a great many other groups of South African plants the species of Mimetes have not been extensively collected, and we are indebted to Mr. T. P. Stokoe, of Cape Town, who has rediscovered so many interesting plants on the Hottentot Hollands Mountains, for the opportunity of figuring the present species. The examination of the fresh material has enabled us to add a few descriptive details to the description given in the Flora Capensis.
Specimens are preserved in the National Herbarium, Pretoria (Herb. No. 1457).
Description:—Branches villous. Leaves 1·2-3 cm. long, ·5-1·5 cm. broad, lanceolate, lanceolate-ovate or ovate, gradually narrowed to an obtuse callous apex, a little narrowed at the base, entire, coriaceous, indistinctly 3-nerved, densely adpressed-villous with silky hairs. Heads sessile, 2·5-3·3 cm. long, 10-16 flowered, in the axils of the leaves at the ends of the branches. Involucral-bracts 5-6-seriate, varying from linear-lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, more or less narrowed at the base, membranous, pubescent outside, long-ciliate. Receptacle long-setose. Perianth-segments free or nearly so, 2·5-3 cm. long, linear-filiform, slightly widened for about 5 mm. at the base, plumose, limb about 4 mm. long, linear-lanceolate, subacute, long-villous on the back. Anthers subsessile, about 2 mm. long, linear, with a lanceolate, subacute, concave apical gland. Hypogynous scales 1 mm. long, linear, obtuse, white. Ovary 2 mm. long, oblong in outline, pubescent; style 4 cm. long, subcylindric above, furrowed on the lower half and usually twisted at the junction with the ovary, swollen with an ellipsoid portion below the stigma, glabrous; stigma about 4 mm. long, furrowed, with an oblique ovoid acuminate subacute apex and with a distinct collar at the base.
Plate 58.—Fig. 1, capitulum; Fig. 2, a single flower showing portion of hairy receptacle; Fig. 3, perianth segment; Fig. 4, pistil.
F.P.S.A., 1922.