Greek aden — gland, anthos — flower referring to the prominent glands at the base of the ovary.
Shrubs or small trees. Leaves simple, entire, lobed or segmented. Flowers bisexual, irregular, solitary, axillary or terminal, with bracts at the base. Perianth of 4 tepals, tubular, hairy outside, bearded inside behind the anthers. Stamens either all fertile or adaxial stamen sterile; filaments fused to the base of the tepals. Glands at base of flower 4, alternating with tepals. Ovary with conical, flattened or elliptic pollen presenter and containing a single ovule. Fruit an indehiscent, 1-seeded achene.
Grown for the usually showy, bird-attracting flowers and ornamental foliage. Sometimes used in floristry.
33 species from southern temperate Australia; 2 species in SE SA and Vic, 31 species from SW WA.
Softwood cuttings, although seed is sometimes successful.
Flowers and fruits solitary with bracts at the base; fruit dry, indehiscent and 1-seeded.
Nelson (1978).
Source: (2002). Proteaceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 3. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 2. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.
