pressed the fancyof Linnaeus with peculiar admiration; and 

 he terms the structure " stupendum naturcc artificium? 



The shrub belongs to the greenhouse department, is 

 native of the Cape of Good Hope, and was introduced by 

 Mr. Francis Masson in 1774. It has never before, as far 

 as we know, been figured from a living sample. 



Branches loricately leaved, panic ulately divided at the 

 top, at the upper part araneously furred as well as the 

 calyx, milky. Leaves imbricant, spreading at the upper 

 half, growing to the stem by the disk at the lower half, 

 ovately lanceolate, smooth, convex with a depressed carti- 

 laginous border, edged round with a double row of fine 

 spines pointing alternately in two different directions, the ter- 

 minal spine longer and reflectent. Flowers at the end of the 

 branches, solitary, yellow, two inches across or more. Calyx 

 covered with leaves ; limb membranous, multifid ; segments 

 ovately lanceolate, flat, villously fringed, with an upright 

 spine at the end. Disk of the flower even with the calyx, 

 2-3 times shorter than the recurvedly spreading ray. Florets 

 of the disk fruitful; limb 5-cIeft to below the middle, upright, 

 pointed, smooth; tube twice shorter, slightly villous. Stig- 

 mas revolute, deep yellow. Gcrmen oblong, smooth, lodged 

 in its proper cell. Florets of the ray barren, an inch or 

 more in length, sublanceolately ligulate, striated, 4-toothed. 

 Receptacle flat, honeycombed, the lodges or cells being 

 formed by the coalition of the fringed chaffy bractes. 



