Banksia speciosa: Difference between revisions

'''''Banksia speciosa''''', commonly known as the '''showy banksia''', is a species of large shrub or small tree in the [[family (biology)|family]] [[Proteaceae]]. It is found on the south coast of [[Western Australia]] between [[Hopetoun, Western Australia|Hopetoun]] (3334°57′ S 120° E) and the [[GreatPoint Australian BightCulver]] (approximately 33° S 130124° E), growing on white or grey sand in [[shrubland]]. Reaching up to {{convert|8|m|ft|abbr=on}} in height, it is a single-stemmed plant that has thin leaves with prominent triangular "'teeth"' along each margin, which are {{convert|20|–|45|cm|in|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|2|–|4|cm|in|1|abbr=on}} wide. The prominent cream-yellow flower spikes known as [[inflorescence]]s appear throughout the year. As they age they develop up to 20 [[Follicle (fruit)|follicles]] each that store seeds until opened by fire. Though widely occurring, the species is highly sensitive to [[Phytophthora cinnamomi|dieback]] and large populations of plants have succumbed to the disease.

''B. speciosa'' grows as a shrub or small tree anywhere from 1 to 6 or rarely 8&nbsp;m (4–26&nbsp;ft) high.<ref name="FloraBase"/> It has an open many-branched [[Habit (biology)|habit]], arising from a single stem or trunk with smooth grey bark. Unlike many banksias, it does not have a [[lignotuber]].<ref name="George 1981">{{cite journal | last = George | first=Alex S. | author-link=Alex George (botanist) | year = 1981 | title = The Genus ''Banksia'' L.f. (Proteaceae) | journal = [[Nuytsia (journal)|Nuytsia]] | volume = 3 | issue = 3 | pages = 239–473 [329–31]| issn = 0085-4417| title-link=The genus Banksia L.f. (Proteaceae) | doi=10.58828/nuy00060 }}</ref> The plant puts on new growth, which is covered in rusty-coloured fur, in summer.<ref name = "Wrigley 1991">{{cite book | last1 = Wrigley | first1 = John | last2 = Fagg | first2 = Murray | title = Banksias, Waratahs and Grevilleas | year = 1991 | publisher = Angus & Robertson | location = Sydney, New South Wales | isbn = 0-207-17277-3|pages = 114–15}}</ref><ref name=atlas>{{cite book | last1 = Taylor | first1 = Anne | last2 = Hopper | first2 = Stephen | author-link2 = Stephen Hopper | year=1988 | title = The Banksia Atlas |issue = Australian Flora and Fauna Series Number 8 | pages= 216–17| location = Canberra, Australian Capital Territory | publisher = Australian Government Publishing Service | isbn = 0-644-07124-9| title-link = The Banksia Atlas }}</ref> The long thin leaves are linear, {{convert|20|–|45|cm|in|round=0.5|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|2|–|4|cm|in|abbr=on|1}} wide. They are bordered with 20 to 42 prominent triangular lobes that have a zigzag pattern. The lobes are {{convert|1|–|2|cm|in|abbr=on|sigfig=1}} long and {{convert|1|–|2.5|cm|in|abbr=on|sigfig=1}} wide, while the V-shaped [[Sinus (botany)|sinuses]] between intrude almost to the [[wikt:midrib|midrib]] of the leaf. The [[Leaf#Margins (edge)|leaf margins]] are slightly [[wikt:recurved|recurved]]. On the underside of each lobe, there are 3–10 [[Leaf#Veins|nerves]] converging on the lobe apex. The midrib is raised on the leaf undersurface; it is covered with white hair when new but brownish hair when mature.<ref name="George 1981"/><!-- cites previous six sentences -->

The seed is {{convert|3.7|–|4.5|cm|in|abbr=on}} long and fairly flattened, and is composed of the seed body proper, measuring {{convert|1|–|1.4|cm|in|abbr=on|sigfig=1}} long and {{convert|0.9|–|1.2|cm|in|abbr=on|sigfig=1}} wide, and a papery [[Glossary of botanical terms#W|wing]]. One side, termed the outer surface, is grey and the other is dark brown; on this side the seed body protrudes and is covered with tiny filaments. The seeds are separated by a dark brown [[seed separator]] that is roughly the same shape as the seeds with a depression where the seed body sits adjacent to it in the follicle. It measures {{convert|3.7|–|4.5|cm|in|abbr=on|sigfig=1}} long and {{convert|2|–|2.5|cm|in|abbr=on|sigfig=1}} wide.<ref name="George 1981"/><!-- cites previous four sentences --> The dull green [[cotyledon]]s of seedlings are wider than they are long, measuring {{convert|1.4|–|1.5|cm|in|abbr=on}} across and {{convert|1.2|–|1.3|cm|in|abbr=on}} long, described by [[Alex George (botanist)|Alex George]] as "broadly [[wikt:obovate|obovate]]". Each cotyledon has a {{convert|2|mm|abbr=on|adj=on|sigfig=12}} [[auricle (botany)|auricle]] at its base and has three faint nerve-like markings on its lower half. The [[hypocotyl]] is smooth and red. The seedling leaves emerge in an opposite arrangement and are deeply serrated into three triangular lobes on each side. The seedling stem is covered in white hair.<ref name="George 1981"/>

{{Commons category|Banksia speciosa|''Banksia speciosa''}}

{{Wikispecies|Banksia speciosa|''Banksia speciosa''}}