THE PROTEA FAmLY. 
73 
CHAPTER IX. 
The Protea Feimily and its Allies. 
P ROTEUS was one of the ancient Greek Gods, a 
son of Neptune, the old sea god, who had the 
power of changing his shape at will; and in 
suggestion of the great diversity of its species, the 
genus Protea and the order Proteaceae were named 
after him. 
The family of Proteaceae contains many plants so 
apparently different, that it is hard for the novice to 
believe that such plants, presenting so many appar- 
ently differing forms, should belong to the same 
family. Although the flowers of the different genera 
are very different in appearance, one outstanding 
feature is prominent, and that is the hard leathery 
texture of the mature foliage of almost every species. 
It would seem as if Nature had so allowed these plants 
to gradually acquire the hardened foliage that they 
might adapt themselves to hard, hot and dry climatic 
and soil conditions, and so to sustain life under the 
most trying circumstances. 
Observers are familiar with either the native 
Honeysuckle, the GreviUeas, or the Waratah. These 
are aU members of the Protea order. The peculiar 
form of the individual flowers, which are generally 
crowded together in heads of from a few to dozens 
of flowers, is always noticeable, and the very long 
pistil and stigma are characteristic of the family. 
Most members of the Protea family, too, are rich in 
