pressed the fancy of Linnzeus with peculiar admiration; and 
he terms the structure “ stupendum nature artificium.” 
The shrub belongs to the greenhouse department, is 
native of the Cape of Good Hope, and was introduced by 
Mr. Francis Masson in 1774. It has never before, as far 
as we know, been figured from a living sample. 
Branches loricately leaved, paniculately divided at the 
top, at the upper part araneously furred as well as the 
calyx, milky. Leaves imbricant, spreading at the upper 
half, growing to the stem by the disk at the lower half, 
ovately lanceolate, smooth, convex with a depressed carti- 
laginous border, edged round with a double row of fine 
spines pointing alternately in two different directions, the ter- 
minal spine longer and reflectent. Flowers at the end of the 
branches, solitary, yellow, two inches across or more. Calyx 
covered with leaves; limb membranous, multifid; segments 
ovately lanceolate, flat, villously fringed, with an upright 
spine at the end. Disk of the flower even with the calyx, 
2-3 times shorter than the recurvedly spreading ray. Florets 
of the disk fruitful; limb 5-cleft to below the middle, upright, 
pointed, smooth; tube twice shorter, slightly villous. Stig- 
mas revolute, deep yellow. Germen oblong, smooth, lodged 
in its proper cell. Florets of the ray barren, an inch or 
more in length, sublanceolately ligulate, striated, 4-toothed. 
Receptacle flat, honeycombed, the lodges or cells being 
formed by the coalition of the fringed chaffy bractes. 
