290 Plants and their Ways in South Africa 



Fig. 261. — Protea macrophylla, R. Br. 



Leucospermum lacks the involucre that makes Protea 

 conspicuous, but each flower is subtended by a well-developed 



bract. The claws of the peri- 

 anth usually remain united or 

 they may separate at the tips. 

 The styles are deciduous and 

 the fruit smooth. Trees or 

 shrubs sometimes trailing. 

 Flowers usually yellow (rarely 

 red). About thirty species, 

 mostly at the coast but ex- 

 tending to Rhodesia. 



Mimetes has the habit 

 of Leucospermum, but the 

 flowers are reddish or purple, 

 and the small axillary heads 

 are arranged in a racemose 

 inflorescence, each head being 

 hooded by a bright bract subtending a head above. 



Serruria may be known by the needle-shaped, usually 

 divided leaves, and purplish silvery heads, frequently in 

 clusters. Shrubs erect or trailing. Fifty species, chiefly 

 Western. 



Nivenia has 4-flowered heads in terminal spikes ; in- 

 volucres of four bracts, becoming hardened in fruit. Twiggy 

 shrubs known usually by the two kinds of leaves, the lower 

 pinnate, the upper simple, spathulate, flabellate, linear, or 

 lanceolate. Some species have only slightly dimorphic leaves. 

 About thirteen species. 



Dr. Marloth in "The Flora of South Africa" retains the 

 name Paranomus, Salisb. (1807), instead of Nivenia, the name 

 given to the genus by Robert Brown (1810). 



Faurea. — The calyx bursts below like that of the Silver 

 Tree, but finally falls off". Nut bearded ; style finally falling. 

 Native of Natal and Rhodesia. The flowers are in terminal 

 solitary spikes or racemes. Shrubs or trees with vertical 

 leaves. 



Brabeium (Kafir Chestnut or Wild Almond). — Staminate, 



