Volume 2 — PLATE LXXVI. PROTEA PINIFOLIA. Pine-leaved 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. Sem. solitaria.

Blossom four-cleft or of four petals. Tips linear, inserted into the petals below the ends. Cup. Proper, none. Seeds solitary.

See Protea Speciosa. Plate XVII.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Protea floribus simplicibus, racemoso-spicatis, glabris; foliis filiformibus, sparsis, glabris.

Protea with simple flowers, growing in branching spikes, and smooth; leaves thread-shaped, scattered, and smooth.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

1. A Blossom complete. 2. One Petal of the Blossom, (magnified), with its Chive attached. 3. The Pointal and Seed-bud, (magnified). 4. A ripe Seed.

The Pine-leaved Protea from the Cape of Good Hope, is rather a delicate plant; and is subject to be killed, if not kept in the driest, and warmest part of the greenhouse, being very susceptible of damps. It makes a very fine appearance when in bloom, growing to the height of two feet or more upright, and with few branches; every part of the plant, (which is uncommon in this genus,) is quite smooth and shining. This species of Protea is an inhabitant of our gardens, since the year 1780; when it was first introduced by William Forsyth, Esq. of Kensington, but has been rarely seen to flower, as it is found but in few collections; owing to the difficulty of propagating it, by the only possible method in this country, cuttings. The soil it approves most, as do most of the Proteas, is a light loam. The drawing was taken at the Hammersmith nursery, from a plant which flowered there in August this year.

PLATE 76