PLATE CXXXTI. 



PROTEA LONGIFOLIA. JVigra. 



Long-leaved Protect. Biachflouer. 



CLASS IV. ORDER T. 

 TETRANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Four Chives. One Pointal. 



ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Corolla 4-fidafeu -1-petala. Antherae lineares, 

 infertae petalis intra apiceni. Calyx pro- 

 prius nullus. Semina lblitaria. 



Blossom 4-cleft or 4 petals. Tips linear, ia- 

 ferted into the petals below the point Cup 

 proper, none. Seeds folitary. 



See PROTEA FORMOSA, PI. XVII. Vol.1. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 



Protea foliis fublinearibus, anguftis, obliquis, ri- 

 gidis, longiffimis; fquamis interioribus, ca- 

 lycis lanceolatis, eredtis; florum plumis 

 atro-purpureis. 



Protea with leaves nearly linear, narrow, oblique, 

 harfh and very long; the inner fcales of 

 the cup are lance-fliaped and upright; the 

 plume of flowers of a black-purple. 



REFERENCE TO THE PLATE. 



1. A Bloflbm complete, with the feed-bud attached. 



2. The Petals of the flower opened, to fhew the fituation of the Tips. 



3. The Seed-bud, Shaft and Summit. 



This fpecies of Protea, from the Cape of Good Hope, of which we have drawings of three varie- 

 ties, is as yet, very fcaice in this kingdom. The variety here figured, as well as the others of this 

 fpecies, have been hitherto confidered as varieties of P. fpeciofa; with which, however, they have 

 lefs connexion, than with P. mellifera; but from both they ftand quite diltinct. Wherefore, we 

 have given them the fpecific title of longifolia, from the extreme length of their leaves, which are 

 confiderably longer, than could be expreifed in the figure. We believe this is the firlt year it ha3 

 flowered in England, or in any other collection, than the nurfery, Hammerfmith; where our drawing 

 was made in November. It is mod difficult, or indeed ahnoft impracticable, to increafe it, as it 

 puts out no fide moots, and certainly damps off", if laid down, where it touches the earth. 



From Boerhaave's having arranged this fpecies of Protea, (See his Index to the Leyden Garden, 

 Part 2. from P. 185 to 18C),) with his Lepidocarpodendrons, after./zg. 187- which is our P. mellifera; 

 Willdenow has been led into an error; fince he has given this plant, the 188 Fig. of Boerhaave, as 

 a fynonim to P. fpeciofa, which ought not to be fo taken, unlets we underftand, that he meant all 

 his Lepidocarpodendrons as only varieties of each other; the principal ditlinguilhing feature, in P. 

 fpeciofa, being the incurved and fringed character, of the inner fcales of the empalement. 



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