the alternative one of including all three under P. lonyi- 
folia. But while there is no conclusive evidence to 
justify the reduction of the three species proposed or 
accepted by Sweet and Phillips, it has to be remarked 
that the appearance of the flower-heads in the plant now 
figured suggests that these heads do not develop per- 
fectly and normally in our relatively sunless climate. 
This in turn raises the question whether those differences 
in the shape of the centre of the head, the length of the 
_ perianth-arms, and the colouring of the involucral bracts 
on which the separation of P. ignota, P. ligulaefolia and 
P. umbonalis from P. longifolia depends, may not be fully 
explained by the adverse conditions with which any 
Protea has to contend when grown in this country. The 
plant now figured was raised at Kew from seed collected 
in the Caledon division by Miss M. Mason, to whom the 
establishment is indebted for many interesting South 
African plants. The seed was despatched from the Cape 
in March, 1911; the plant depicted was cultivated in a 
pot in a greenhouse where it has thriven well, and where 
it flowered for the first time, at an unexpectedly early 
age, in October, 1916. 
Description.—Skrub, 8-7 ft. high, with finely tomentellous or almost 
glabrous branches. Leaves narrow thong-shaped, blunt or somewhat acute, 
gradually narrowed to the base, 3-7 in. long, }-2 in. wide, glabrous, nerves 
pennate, visible only above. Flower-heads sessile, 4-6 in. long, about 4 in. 
across; involucral bracts 9-10-seriate, glabrous, the outermost ovate or ovate- 
oblong, obtuse, green, with often dark apical spots, the inner with a lanceolate 
blade passing gradually into a claw and approaching or equalling the length of 
the flowers. Perianth with a sheath 2 in. in length, dilated and 3-keeled at 
the base, at first pubescent below, but ultimately glabrous; lip rather more 
than 2 in. long, somewhat villous with usually white hairs except on the back, 
3-partite (3-aristate) with the lateral segments linear, about 1} in. long, beset 
with long hairs whitish below, dark purple or black above ; the central segment 
} in, long, finely filiform, beset upwards with black hairs. Stamens 3 fertile, 
their filaments very short; anthers linear, over } in. long, with shortly sharply 
acuminate ovate-lanceolate glands at the tip; sterile stamen with a filiform 
filament and a linear glandless anther. Ovary } in. long, densely rusty- 
tomentose; style 2 in. long, pubescent, terete save at the somewhat com- 
pressed base which is swollen on the ventral face; stigma }—} in. long, blunt, 
distinctly kneed and curved. 
— i fee eos 
Tas. 8793.—Fig. 1, upper lip of perianth with long segments; 2, upper lip 
of perianth wish abews ysabaaii: 8, anterior perianth-segment; 4, fertile 
stamens; 5, style; 6, ovary in longitudinal section :—all enlarged. 
