Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander must have been astounded at the remarkable plants they found when they came ashore at Botany Bay in 1770. They were botanists on the Endeavour under the command of Captain James
Cook.
Along with many other plants never before seen by Europeans, they collected four Banksia species at Botany Bay. Later they collected another Banksia at the Endeavour River near present day
Cooktown. Those Banksias were taken back to England where they were described and named by Carolus Linnaeus the Younger. The genus name honours Sir Joseph Banks.
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Today Banksias are known world-wide. They are cultivated for cut flowers and exported all across the world as
well as being used widely in Australian gardens.
Banksia is a genus of about 80 species in the Proteaceae family (although some scientists now include Dryandras in with Banksias. In this thread I have just talked about Banksias.). All species occur in Australia with one extending to islands to Australia's north. The south western corner of WA contains the greatest diversity of banksias, where about 60 species are found. There are no species common to both eastern and western Australia except the Tropical Banksia, Banksia dentate.
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They can be found in a wide variety of landscapes - eucalypt forest, alpine and coastal heaths, shrubland, and in more arid landscapes, though not in Australia's deserts.
In most Banksias the familiar flower is really a collection of hundreds or even thousands of tiny individual flowers densely clustered into a cylindrical spike. Flowers are usually a shade of yellow, but
orange, red, pink, violet and even purplish black and purplish green flowers occur. Flowers open progressively upwards along the spike resulting in changes to the colour and texture of the spike.
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Banksia flowers are followed by large, woody "cones" which contain the seeds. In most species the “cones” remain tightly closed unless stimulated to open by heat from a bushfire. Each seed has a papery wing that causes it to spin and be blown by the wind away from the parent plant.
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The leaves of Banksia vary greatly. They are usually hard or leathery, generally serrated, toothed or lobed. Sizes vary from the narrow, 1–1½ cm leaves of the Heath-leaved Banksia, to the very large 45 cm leaves of Bull Banksia. In many species the juvenile and adult leaves are different. The underside of leaves is conspicuously white or silvery in some species, while some have colourful new foliage, sometimes velvety, in tones of white to pink to brown.
The tough, rugged appearance of Banksias is an appealing feature. The tree species usually have a single trunk, covered with thick rough bark. The shrubs often have many stems and carry their erect flowers down to ground level. Most Banksias are medium sized woody shrubs but a few can become large trees up to 30 metres tall. Some are prostrate with stems running below the ground, their flowers emerging at ground level.
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Banksias that are native to areas where fires occur regularly often have a lignotuber, a woody swelling at or below ground level. If the above ground stems are destroyed, regeneration of the plant can occur from buds in the lignotuber, but they take several years to reach flowering stage again. Other species are killed by fire and regenerate from seed.
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Banksias are heavy producers of nectar, and form a vital part of the food chain in the bush. They provide food for nectar-feeding animals, including birds, bats, native rats, possums, stingless bees and many invertebrates. In return for nectar these animals pollinate the Banksia flowers.
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Aborigines used the sweet nectar from the flowers as part of their diet, giving rise to a common name among early European settlers of native honeysuckle.
Banksias are of economic importance to Australia's nursery and cut flower industries. Several new varieties or cultivars have been bred for the nursery trade. Banksia wood is only occasionally used by woodturners as it tends to warp. However Banksia cones are often turned to make attractive ornaments.
The name Banksia is widely used in the commercial world perhaps because of its Australian connotation. Many companies incorporate Banksia into their name as do hotels, apartments, caravan parks and private homes. There are the Banksia Environmental Awards, and Banksia web domain names. Perhaps the best known cultural reference to Banksia is the "big bad Banksia men" of May Gibbs' children's book “Snugglepot and Cuddlepie”. Gibb's Banksia Men are modelled on the appearance of aged Banksia "cones” that she saw during her childhood in WA.
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Today Banksias are threatened by land
clearing, too frequent burning and disease, particularly a form of root-rot or die-back caused by the Phytopthora fungus. A number of species are rare and endangered.
When Banksias are in flower they are easy to find in the bush where they can be admired and photographed. But if fresh Banksia flowers take you fancy the commercially grown ones are the only way to go – unless you grow your own of course.
Looking forward to seeing others' Banksia photos.
Cheers,
Val.
| J and V
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