170 54- IRTICACEAE — 55. PROTEACEAE 



17. Perianth of the female flowers free or almost free from the ovary, dry or 



membranous in fruit. Stipules free or nearly so. Stigma filiform. 18 



Perianth of the female flowers adnate to fhe ovary, more or less succulent 



in iruit. Stipules evidently united. Leaves alternate. Shrubs or 



trees. 19 



18. Stigma persistent. Perianth surrounding the fruit neither winged nor 



ribbed. Leaves toothed. — Species 7. Tropical and South Africa. 

 Two of them (especially B. nivea Hook. & Arn., ramie or Chinese grass- 

 cloth plant) are cultivated as textile planis . . . Boehmeria Jaqu. 

 Stigma decidous. Perianth surrounding the fruit usually winged or 

 ribbed. Leaves usually entire. — Species 10. Tropical and South 



Africa. Pouzolzia Gaudich. 



iq. Stigma nliform, deciduous. — Species 3. Madagascar and Mascarenes. 



Pipturus Wedd. 

 Stigma capitate, more or less penicillate. — ■ Species i. Abyssinia. 



Debregeasia Gaudich 



ORDER PROTEALES 



FAMILY 55. PROTEACEAE 



Shrubs or trees. Leaves alternate, rarely {Braheium) whorled. Stipules 

 none. Flowers in heads, spikes, or racemes. Perianth with 4 petaloid, valvate 

 segments, usually surrounded by excrescences of the receptacle. Stamens 4, 

 opposite the perianth-segments. Anthers opening inwards. Ovary superior, 

 i-celled. Ovule i, ascending and inverted, more rarely pendulous and straight, 

 very rarely ovules 2. Style simple, with a small stigma. Fruit a one-seeded 

 nut or drupe. Seed exalbuminous. — Genera 13, species 400. Southern and 

 tropical Africa. (Plate 33.) 



1. Stamens insened at the base of the perianth-segments ; anthers stalked. 



Perianth regular, divided to the base. Flowexs unisexual or poly- 

 gamous. [Tribe PERSOONIEAE.] .2 



Stamens inserted on the middle or the upper part of the perianth-segments ; 

 anthers usually sessile. Perianth more or less deeply divided, but 

 rarely to the base. [Tribe PROTEEAE.] 3 



2. Receptacle with a short cupular excrescence at the base. Ovule pendulous. 



Fruil a drupe. Flowers in fascicles arranged in racemes. Leaves 

 whorled, undivided. — Species t. South Africa. The fruits are 



edible and used as a substitute for coffee Brabeiuro L. 



Receptacle with 4 scale-like excrescences at the base. Flowers in spikes 

 arranged in racemes. Leaves alternate, 2-lobed. — Species i. Madagas- 

 car. The wood is used for torches, the seeds yield oil. Dilobeia Thouars 



3. Flowers unisexual, regular 4 



Flowers hermaphrodite 5 



4. Male flowers in spikes or racemes, female in heads. Bracts narrow. — 



Species 3. South Africa Aulax Berg 



