pro·te·a 
(prōtē-ə)
(prōtē-ə)n.
Any of numerous trees or shrubs of the family Proteaceae, especially a shrub of the southern African genus Protea having large conelike flower heads with showy bracts.
[New Latin Prōtea, genus name, from Latin Prōteus, the shape-shifting god Proteus (in reference to the great variation in floral shape and color shown by species of the genus ); see PROTEUS.]