VnOTEACEM. 105 



former alliance Proteacece is united with Lauracece and TJiymelacea. 

 We have no difficulty in recognising its numerous analogies with 

 certain types of both these orders, as well as with many Santalaccce , 

 Loranthacece, Elceagnacece, &c. But we think that it is by their most 

 reduced types, characterized by separation of the sexes, uniovulate 

 ovaries, and one-seeded indehiscent fruits, that the Proteacece 

 come nearest these groups. Their highest types have multiovulate 

 ovaries, 1 many-seeded fruits dehiscing longitudinally, exalbuminous 

 seeds, well-marked perigyny, with a sometimes irregular gyn?eceum, 

 and pinnately compound leaves : by these we think that the Proteacece 

 are most closely bound to the arborescent types with a single 

 perianth and slightly irregular or even regular flowers, oligandrous 

 or even diclinous, of the Lpguminosce, especially Casalpiniea. 



The uses of this order are not numerous. The arborescent 

 species furnish good wood for fuel and building purposes. This is 

 the case with the species of Protea 7, at the Cape ; several species of 

 Andripetalum* Boujuda, and Adenostephanus? in Brazil and Guiana ; 

 certain of Embotltrinm 7 and Lomatic? in Chili ; and some of Steno- 

 carjjus 9 in Australia. To this last country belong the enormous 

 trees Darlingia spectatissima and Cardioellia sublimis. 10 The bark of 

 Protea grandiflora is considered a good diarrhoea remedy at the Cape." 

 The flowers and fruits of several members of this order furnish 

 food. The former sometimes secrete a saccharine matter in great 

 abundance ; and the Australian natives used formerly to sustain a 

 wretched existence on this sort of honey collected from Banfoias. 11 

 At the Cape the Proteas, especially P. meJlifera and speciosa, drop 

 from their inflorescence a similar honey, prized as a food and a 



1 In our gardens certain Proteacem may ab- 7 F. coccineum is the Nofro or Ciruerillo of 

 normally become pluricarpellary ; tins we have the Chilians. (C. Gat, Fl. Chil., v. 307.) 

 observed in Lambertia formosa (see Adansonia, 8 In Chili L, ferruginea is named Romerillo, 

 ii. 292). Piune, Fuinque ; L. dentata, Pinol, Ouarda 



2 Endl., Enchirhl., 217. — Ltndl., Veg. fa-ego ; L. obliqua, Rami, Nogal. (C. Gay, 

 Kingd., 533. — Kosenth., Syn. PI. Diaphor., up. cii.) 



244, 1114. 9 Imperially S. saligrms R. Br. 



3 P. grandiflora is the Wagenloom of the 10 F. Muell., Fragm,., v. 23, 152. 



colonists of the Cape ; it is, indued, used for " That of Leucospermum conocarpum R. I?R., 



making wheels. the Kreupelboom of the Cape colonists, serves 



4 Several of the Old World Ileliuias, trees the same purposes. Its reddish wood is of good 

 with useful wood and edible seeds, no doubt quality. 



belong to this genus. IS B. ctmnla R. Br., ericifolia L. PH., in- 



5 Especially R. legalis Maet. tegrifolia L. fii^., serrala L. FIL., and spim 

 fi Mart., Fl. Bras., Prol., 100. Sm., among others. 



