Proteaceae
Rosidae: Proteales. The Proteaceae are mostly southern hemisphere tropical and
subtropical evergreen shrubs and trees comprising about 75 genera and 1,000 species. The
leaves are simple, estipulate, and mostly alternate. The flowers are actinomorphic or
zygomorphic, mostly perigynous, and often in dense cone-like inflorescences or heads with
involucral bracts. The perianth is uniseriate, 4-parted, and valvate, with one stamen
adnate to and opposite each lobe. The gynoecium consists of a single, simple pistil with a
single long style that is often bent back on itself (at least in bud), a single stigma,
and a superior, often stipitate ovary with one locule containing 1-many, usually marginal
ovules. The fruit is a follicle, achene, samara, or drupe.
Each "thumbnail" image below is linked to a larger photograph.
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Grevillea robusta, silky oak. Note the uniseriate perianth (i.e., calyx) split
open on one side basally but fully enveloping the stigma and distal portion of the hooked
style above. Note also the small ovary on a short stipe just above the base of the
perianth. |
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Grevillea glabrata. In the upper flower, note the recurved lobes of the calyx,
each with an adnate stamen. The stipe on the ovary is more conspicuous in the lower
flowers after abscission of the sepals. |
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Grevillea banksii, kahili flower. |
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Leucospermum sp. Note that some flowers of the head have 'opened' i.e., the
style has straightened and pulled out of the calyx, exposing the stamens on the inner face
of the calyx lobes. |
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Macadamia integrifolia, source of delicious macadamia nuts. |
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Stenocarpus sp. Note the stipitate ovary, uniseriate perianth, and curved style
in bud. |
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Protea mundii. Note the flowering head with involucral bracts similar to those
in the sunflower family. |
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