no ON THE PROTEACEjE OF JDSSIEU. 



semuncialis. Nux undique pubescens, pedicello brevissirao, 

 glabro, rugoso. 



9. NIVENIA. 

 Paraiiomus. Salisb. Parad. 



Char. Gen. Calyx quadrifidus, eequalis, totus deciduus. 

 Stigma clavatum, verticale. Nuw ventricosa, nitens, sessilis, 

 basi Integra. Involucruni simplici serie tetraphylluna, 

 quadriflorum, fructiferum induratum ; Receptaculo piano 

 epaleato. 



Habitus. Fructices. Folia sparsa, inferiora bipin- 

 natifida filiformia ; superiora, in quihusdam, indivisa, plana. 

 Involucra in spicam rariHsve capituliim terminale digesta, 

 sessilia, bracted unicd subtensa. Flores pmpurascentes. 



This genus is published by Mr. Salisbury : his primary 

 generic cbaracter does not indeed at all differ from that 

 which he has given to Mimetes ; in his account of Inflor- 

 escence, however, it is evident he understood the genus 

 nearly as I have here proposed it : I should therefore have 

 adopted his name had it appeared to rae tenable ; but I 

 am disposed to believe that he will, on reconsidering the 

 subject, see the propriety of relinquishing it ; for the 

 irregularity or unusual structure, which (if I understand 

 him) he says exists "tot partibus diversis," only takes 

 134] place in the leaves of a small number of species ; on the 

 other hand, the flowers of all are perfectly regular, and 

 that too in opposition to some of the most nearly related 

 genera, while the great uniformity and regularity of inflor- 

 escence forms an essential part of its character. I have 

 therefore named it in honour of Mr. James Niven, an 

 intelligent observer and indefatigable collector, to whom 

 botanists are indebted for the discovery of many new 

 species, especially in the two extensive South-African 

 families of Erica and Proteaceae. 



