THE PROTEA FAMILY. 



253 



and with its mucli divided silky leaves presents a strong 

 contrast to the more humble species of the genus, which 

 consist of small shrubs, with willow, holly, box, or juniper- 

 like leaves, producing pretty spikes of flowers. 



Another large tree of Queensland, Stenocarpus Cunning- 

 hamii, is valued for its hard wood ; it has smooth deeply 

 lobed leaves, a foot or more in length. It was introduced 

 at the same time as the preceding, and grows and flowers 

 freely in the greenhouse. 



Knightia excelsa is a large tree, native of New Zealand, 

 attaining the height of 100 feet, and is valued for its timber ; 

 it has simple, oblong, toothed leaves. 



Waratah {Telopea speciosissima). A native of New South 

 "Wales. It has slender erect stems, simple toothed leaves, 

 and a splendid flower, similar in size and colour to a double 

 red Camellia. About thirty or more years ago it was a great 

 favourite with amateurs, but being difiicult of cultivation, it 

 is now seldom seen. 



Woody Pear {Xylomelum pyriforme). Also a native of 

 New South Wales. A small tree with opposite leaves, being 

 remarkable for its fruit, which bears the exact resemblance 

 and size of an ordinary pear, but is attached by the broad 

 end. It consists entirely of a hard woody substance, difii- 

 cult to cut ; when ripe it splits lengthwise and contains a flat 

 winged seed. 



Avellano Nut (Guevema Avellano). A small tree with 

 winged leaves, native of Chili, and the wild almond 

 {Brabejum stellulatum), native of the Cape of Good Hope, 

 are the only two plants of the family that produce seeds 

 of sufficient size to be worthy of the name of eatable 

 nuts. 



A new genus has lately been discovered in Queensland, 

 named Macadamia {M. ternifolia), a large tree with stiff" 

 spiny leaves. Fruit a follicle containing a very hard nut- 

 seed about the size of a marble, which is said to be good to 

 eat. It is allied to the genus Helicia. 



The numerous species of Banksia and Dryandra are inte- 



