THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



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and each provided with a papery wing by means of which it 

 sails away on the wind. 



The nearest relatives to the Proteaceae in our flora, are 

 probably the true laurels — sassafras, spicewood and the like. 

 The Proteaceae usually have four parted flowers lacking a 



Like other follicles splits down the ventral suture. 



corolla and otherwise so variable that this feature has suggested 

 the scientific name from Proteus, a character in Greek mythol- 

 ogy famous for the number of different shapes he could assume. 

 The silk oak (Grez'iUea) often seen in cultivation in the warmer 

 parts of this country is a member of this group. 



