protea, noun
/ˈprəʊtɪə/
- Origin:
- modern LatinShow more modern Latin generic name, from Proteus, in Greek and Roman mythology a sea-god renowned for assuming many different shapes, an allusion to the great variety of forms of the various species.
1.
a. Any of a large variety of evergreen shrubs or small trees of the genus Protea of the Proteaceae, bearing cone-like flowers with prominent bracts; the generic name. Also attributive. See also blushing bride, pincushion, sugarbush.
- Note:
- The national flower of South Africa (but also native to Australia).
1753 Chambers Cycl. Suppl.Protea, in the Linnæan system of botany, a genus which takes in the lepidocarpodendron, and the hypophyllocarpodendron of Boerhaave.
1991 D.M. Moore Garden Earth 196The seeds of many proteas will germinate only after the heat of fire has cracked the hard seedcoat.
b. With distinguishing epithet:
1913 C. Pettman Africanderisms 187Giant protea, Protea cynaroides, found on Table Mountain, not often flowering.
1987 T.F.J. Van Rensburg Intro. to Fynbos 17The king of the dwarf and ground proteas must surely be the snow protea (P. cryophila), which is found only on certain high peaks in the Cedarberg.
2. Special Combination
1970 O.P.M. Prozesky Field Guide to Birds of Sn Afr. 329Rarer species...Protea Canary (Serinus leucopterus).
1987 T.F.J. Van Rensburg Intro. to Fynbos 48We know most of the birds and know that only two endangered species are actually dependent on the fynbos for their survival. They are the protea canary..and the Cape sugarbird.
Any of a large variety of evergreen shrubs or small trees of the genus Protea of the Proteaceae, bearing cone-like flowers with prominent bracts; the generic name. Also attributive.
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