Volume 9 — PLATE DLXXVII. PROTEA VIRGATA. Twiggy Protea.

CLASS IV. ORDER I.

TETRANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Four Chives. One Pointal.

ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER.

Corolla 4-fida, seu 4-petala. Antheræ lineares, petalis infra apices insertæ. Calyx proprius, nullus. Semina solitaria.

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

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Protea foliis linearibus acutis, supra concavis, subtus convexis: floribus confertis, procumbentibus.

Habitat ad Caput Bonæ Spei.

Protea with linear pointed leaves, concave above, and convex beneath. Flowers crowded, and lying on the ground.

Native of the Cape of Good Hope.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

The application of specific titles to this wide-spreading family of plants is now become an arduous task; and considering how many of the best are already occupied, an exclusive reference cannot be expected. This species of Protea is altogether new, but bears a powerful resemblance in the flowers to the P. humiflora: but the distinct character of its foliage gives to the tout ensemble a perfect air of novelty; nor is there any figure or description of it extant, that we know of.

Our drawing was made from a fine plant at the nursery of Mr. Knight in the King’s Road, Chelsea.