Telopea
(from telopas, seen at a distance; alluding to the great distance from which the crimson flowers are discernible in its native country). SYN. Hylogyne. ORD. Proteaceae. A genus comprising two or three species of tall, greenhouse shrubs, endemic in Australia. Flowers red, showy, on twin pedicels, densely racemose; perianth slightly irregular, the tube open early on the under side, tapering and recurved under the limb, the laminae oblique, broad; racemes terminal, sub-globose or ovoid, surrounded by an involucre of imbricated, coloured bracts, the bracts within the raceme small. Follicles stipitate, oblique, recurved. Leaves alternate, entire or toothed. T. speciosissima, the only species yet introduced, is one of the most beautiful plants in the order to which it belongs. It requires a temperature rather warmer than that of an ordinary greenhouse; but a very moist atmosphere encourages a too vigorous growth, which is not conducive to floriferousness. Water may be applied freely in summer, but the roots should be kept nearly dry in winter. A well-drained border or bed of sandy loam is most suitable for the reception of this plant. Propagated by layering suckers during winter, in small pots, and allowing them to remain until rooted in the pots before being detached.
T. speciosissima (very showy). Waratah; Warratau. fl. crimson; perianth glabrous, about 1in. long; pedicels thick, recurved, 1/4in. to 1/2in. long; head or raceme dense, about 3in. in diameter; involucral bracts ovate-lanceolate, the inner ones 2in. to 3in. long. June. fr. 3in. to 4in. long, containing ten to twenty seeds. l. cuneate-oblong or almost obovate, 5in. to 10in. long, mostly toothed in the upper part, tapering into rather long petioles, a few rarely quite entire. h. 6ft. to 8ft. 1789. (G. C. n. s., xvii., p. 677; B. M. 1128, under name of Embotrium speciosissimum.)