540 



PRO SO PIS 



Prosopis L. Leguminosae (l. 4). 30 trop. and subtrop., some xero., 

 without 1., many thorny, the thorns being epidermal, or metamorphosed 

 branches or stipules. P. juliflora DC. (trop. Am.) is the mezquit tree 

 (fodder, &c.). P. alba Griseb. has sweet succulent pods (algaroba 

 blanca), used as food. 



Prosopostelma Baill. Asclepiadaceae (n. t). i W. trop. Afr. 



Prostanthera Labill. Labiatae (n). 40 Austr. 



Prostnecidiscus J. Donnell Smith. Asclepiadaceae (n. i). i Guatem. 



Protamomum Ridl. Musaceae. i Malaya. 



Protandry, cf. Dichogamy. 



Protanthera Rafin. Liliaceae. Nomen. 2 N. Am. 



Protarum Engl. Araceae (vn). i Seychelles. 



Protea L. Proteaceae (i). 75 S. and trop. Afr. Fls. in showy heads, 

 often with coloured bracts. 



Proteaceae (EP. , BH.). Dicotyledons ( Archichl. Proteales; Daphnales 

 BH.}. 50 gen., 960 sp. "which have a very char, distr. ; there are 

 in AustiC 591, trop. E. As. 25, New Caled. 27, N.Z. 2, Chili 7, trop. 

 S. Am. 36, south-west Cape Col. 262, Madag. 2, Mts. of trop. Afr. 5" 

 (Engler). The great majority live in regions where there is annually 

 a long dry season. Correlated with this is the fact that they are mostly 

 xero. Nearly all shrubs and trees with entire or much-divided exstip. 

 1., which have commonly a thick cuticle and often a covering of hairs 

 further checking transpiration. The fls. are borne in racemes, spikes, 

 heads, &c., and are often very showy ; many have their pollen freely 

 exposed, though they are not wind-fert. a peculiarity perhaps con- 

 nected with their life in a dry climate (compare the Acacias of 

 Australia). 



The fls. are usu. 5 , often -|- . P (4), corolline, valvate ; the 1. 

 commonly bent or rolled back when open; sta. 4, inserted on the 

 tepals, and usu. with only the anthers free; G i, ovules many or few 

 or one, pend. or not, the micropyle facing the base of the ovary. Style 

 term., long, often bent inwards. Follicle, capsule, drupe or nut; seed 

 exalbum. The ovary is sometimes borne on a gynophore and at its 

 base are commonly nectarial outgrowths. The fls. are protandrous 

 and adapted to insect-fert. 



Classification and chief genera (see discussion in Nat. Pfl-Y 



I. PtfSOON/OJDA (fls. single \na\i\s of bracts; ovules 

 seldom, few or 2; drupe or nut, one seeded): Persoonia, 

 Protea, Leucadendron. 



II. GREVILLOIDEAE (fls. in pairs; ovules several or 2 ; 

 fr. usu. dehisc., many seeded): Grevillea, Hakea, Bftnksia. 



Proteales. The i3th order of Archichlamydeae. 



Protection against grazing animals is obtained by stinging hairs 



(Loasaceae, Urticaceae, &c.), by prickles, &c., or by disagreeable taste; 



- of buds, see Bud ; - of honey, cf. Flower-classes ; - of flowers, see 



Flower-movements; - of leaves, see Movements; - of young leaves, 



Ainherslia, Brownea, &c. 



Proteids, complex organic bodies, containing C, H, O, and N. 

 Proteocarpus'B6rner = Carex L. p.p. (Cyper.). 

 Proteopsis Mart, et Zucc. Compositae (i). 2 campos of S. Braz. 

 Proterandry, -ogyny, protandry, &c. Cf. Dichogamy. 



