Banksia laevigata

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Tennis ball banksia
Banksia laevigata laevigata.JPG
Banksia laevigata subsp. laevigata in cultivation at The Banksia Farm
Banksia laevigata fuscolutea 6 email.jpg
Subspecies fuscolutea
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Proteales
Family: Proteaceae
Genus: Banksia
Subgenus: Banksia subg. Banksia
Species:
B. laevigata
Binomial name
Banksia laevigata
Synonyms [1]
  • Banksia laevigataMeisn. (1852) nom. inval., nom. nud.
  • Sirmuellera laevigata(Meisn.) Kuntze
Banksia laevigata subsp. laevigata habit Banksia laevigata subsp. laevigata.jpg
Banksia laevigata subsp. laevigata habit

Banksia laevigata, commonly known as the tennis ball banksia, [2] is a species of shrub that is endemic to Western Australia. It has serrated, broadly linear to narrow wedge-shaped leaves, yellow or yellowish green flowers, depending on subspecies, and linear to elliptic follicles with a slightly wrinkled surface.

Contents

Description

Banksia laevigata is a shrub that typically grows to a height of 1–3.5 m (3 ft 3 in – 11 ft 6 in) and has roughly flaky, grey bark but does not form a lignotuber. The leaves are serrated, broadly linear to narrow wedge-shaped, 50–140 mm (2.0–5.5 in) long and 4–20 mm (0.16–0.79 in) wide on a petiole 5–10 mm (0.20–0.39 in) long. Both surface of young leaves are hairy but become glabrous with age. The flowers are borne in spherical heads 70–80 mm (2.8–3.1 in) wide, usually on the ends of short side branches. The flowers are yellow or yellowish green and have a perianth 20–26 mm (0.79–1.02 in) long and a curved pistil 30–32 mm (1.2–1.3 in) long. Flowering occurs from September to December or from January to February and the follicles are linear to elliptical, 10–18 mm (0.39–0.71 in) long, 3–7 mm (0.12–0.28 in) high and 4–7 mm (0.16–0.28 in) wide. Each head contains up to 100 follicles surrounded by the remains of the flowers. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Banksia laevigata was first formally described in 1856 by Carl Meissner in de Candolle's Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis from specimens collected by James Drummond in the Swan River Colony. [5] [6] The specific epithet (laevigata) is a Latin word meaning "smooth and polished". [7]

In 1891, Otto Kuntze, in his Revisio Generum Plantarum , rejected the generic name Banksia L.f., on the grounds that the name Banksia had previously been published in 1776 as Banksia J.R.Forst & G.Forst, referring to the genus now known as Pimelea . Kuntze proposed Sirmuellera as an alternative, referring to this species as Sirmuellera laevigata. [8] This application of the principle of priority was largely ignored by Kuntze's contemporaries, [9] and Banksia L.f. was formally conserved and Sirmuellera rejected in 1940. [10]

In 1965, Alex George described two subspecies in The Western Australian Naturalist and the names are accepted by the Australian Plant Census:

Distribution and habitat

Subspecies fuscolutea is more widespread than the autonym and grows in shrubland between Lake Barker, Hyden and Mount Day near Norseman. Subspecies laevigata is found in the Ravensthorpe Range and along the Fitzgerald River where it grows in woodland and shrubland. [3]

Conservation status

Subspecies fuscolutea is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife, [15] but subsp. laevigata is classified as "Priority Four" is classified as "Priority Four" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife, [16] meaning that is rare or near threatened. [17]

Use in horticulture

Seeds do not require any treatment, and take 39 to 92 days to germinate. [18]

Related Research Articles

<i>Banksia grandis</i> Species of tree in Western Australia

Banksia grandis, commonly known as bull banksia or giant banksia, is a species of common and distinctive tree in the south-west of Western Australia. The Noongar peoples know the tree as beera, biara, boongura, gwangia, pira or peera. It has a fire-resistant main stem with thick bark, pinnatisect leaves with triangular side-lobes, pale yellow flowers and elliptical follicles in a large cone.

<i>Banksia goodii</i> Species of shrub in the family Proteaceae endemic to the south-west of Western Australia

Banksia goodii, commonly known as Good's banksia, is a species of prostrate shrub that is endemic to a small area in the south-west of Western Australia. It has densely hairy stems, wavy, oblong to egg-shaped leaves with irregularly serrated margins, rusty-brown flowers and hairy fruit. It grows in low forest and woodland near Albany and is listed as "endangered".

<i>Banksia attenuata</i> Species of plant in the family Proteaceae found across much of the southwest of Western Australia

Banksia attenuata, commonly known as the candlestick banksia, slender banksia, or biara to the Noongar people, is a species of plant in the family Proteaceae. Commonly a tree, it reaches 10 m (33 ft) high, but it is often a shrub in drier areas 0.4 to 2 m high. It has long, narrow, serrated leaves and bright yellow inflorescences, or flower spikes, held above the foliage, which appear in spring and summer. The flower spikes age to grey and swell with the development of the woody follicles. The candlestick banksia is found across much of the southwest of Western Australia, from north of Kalbarri National Park down to Cape Leeuwin and across to Fitzgerald River National Park.

<i>Banksia baueri</i> Species of shrub in the family Proteaceae native to Western Australia

Banksia baueri, commonly known as the woolly banksia, is a species of shrub that is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It has serrated leaves and a distinctively large and hairy looking inflorescence with cream, yellow or brown flowers, and hairy fruit.

<i>Banksia baxteri</i> Species of shrub in the family Proteaceae native to Western Australia

Banksia baxteri, commonly known as Baxter's banksia or bird's nest banksia, is a species of shrub that is endemic to Western Australia. It has greyish brown bark, hairy stems, deeply serrated leaves with triangular lobes and lemon-yellow flowers in an oval flower spike that grows on the end of branches.

<i>Banksia caleyi</i> Australian species of shrub, the red lantern banksia

Banksia caleyi, commonly known as Caley's banksia or red lantern banksia, is a species of woody shrub of the family Proteaceae native to Western Australia. It generally grows as a dense shrub up to 2 m (7 ft) tall, has serrated leaves and red, pendent (hanging) inflorescences which are generally hidden in the foliage. First described by Scottish naturalist Robert Brown in 1830, Banksia caleyi was named in honour of the English botanist George Caley. No subspecies are recognised. It is one of three or four related species with hanging inflorescences, which is an unusual feature within the genus.

<i>Banksia candolleana</i> Species of shrub in the family Proteaceae endemic to Western Australia

Banksia candolleana, commonly known as the propeller banksia, is a species of shrub that is endemic to Western Australia. It has shiny green, deeply serrated leaves with triangular lobes and spikes of golden yellow flowers on short side branches.

<i>Banksia dryandroides</i> Species of shrub in the family Proteaceae from the south coast of Western Australia

Banksia dryandroides, the dryandra-leaved banksia, is a species of small shrub in the plant genus Banksia. The Noongar peoples know the tree as manyat. It occurs in shrubland, woodland and kwongan on the south coast of Western Australia between Narrikup and Beaufort Inlet. The species is placed alone in series B. ser. Dryandroideae.

<i>Banksia elegans</i> Species of shrub in the family Proteaceae endemic to Western Australia

Banksia elegans, commonly known as the elegant banksia, is a species of woody shrub that is endemic to a relatively small area of Western Australia. Reaching 4 m (13 ft) high, it is a suckering shrub that rarely reproduces by seed. The round to oval yellow flower spikes appear in spring and summer. Swiss botanist Carl Meissner described Banksia elegans in 1856. It is most closely related to the three species in the subgenus Isostylis.

<i>Banksia hookeriana</i> Species of shrub in the genus Banksia native to Western Australia

Banksia hookeriana, commonly known as Hooker's banksia, is a species of shrub of the genus Banksia in the family Proteaceae. It is native to the southwest of Western Australia and can reach up to 4 m (13 ft) high and 3 m (9.8 ft) wide. This species has long narrow serrated leaves and large, bright flower spikes, initially white before opening to a bright orange that appear over the cooler months. The flowers are pollinated by honeyeaters. The ageing flower spikes develop woody seed pods known as follicles. B. hookeriana is serotinous — large numbers of seeds are stored in the plant canopy for years until the plants are burnt by bushfire.

<i>Banksia lindleyana</i> Species of shrub in the family Proteaceae from Western Australia

Banksia lindleyana, commonly known as the porcupine banksia, is a species of woody shrub in the genus Banksia of the family Proteaceae. It generally grows as a small shrub to 1 m (3 ft) high with long narrow serrated leaves, and bright yellow oval or round inflorescences. Flowering occurs in late summer, after which time the flower spikes age and turn to brown and then grey, and develop up to 70 follicles. It occurs in the vicinity of Kalbarri, Western Australia. Found on sandy soils, the plant serves as a pollinator for a variety of bird and animal species.

<i>Banksia littoralis</i> Species of tree in the family Proteaceae endemic to the south-west of Western Australia

Banksia littoralis, commonly known as the swamp banksia, swamp oak, river banksia or seaside banksia and the western swamp banksia, is a species of tree that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. The Noongar peoples know the plant as pungura, boongura or gwangia. It has rough, crumbly bark, linear, more or less serrated leaves arranged in whorls, yellow flowers and up to two hundred follicles in each head.

<i>Banksia meisneri</i> Species of shrub in the family Proteaceae endemic to the south-west of Western Australia

Banksia meisneri, commonly known as Meisner's banksia, is a shrub that is endemic to a small area in the south-west of Western Australia. It has crowded, more or less linear leaves and in winter and spring, spikes of golden brown flowers followed by furry fruit which usually only open after fire.

Taxonomy of <i>Banksia integrifolia</i> Classification of a tree species

The taxonomy of Banksia integrifolia has a long and complex history, the result of confusion caused by the species' great variability, and similarities with some closely related species. The existence of hybrids between B. integrifolia and related species as well as early attempts to classify the species based on dried specimen material have also contributed to the confusion.

Banksia ionthocarpa is a species of shrub that is endemic to Western Australia. It has short, hairy, prostrate stems, pinnatifid leaves, pinkish purple to orange flower in heads of between forty and sixty at the base of leaves, and egg-shaped follicles with a distinctive tuft of hairs on the end.

<i>Banksia prolata</i> Species of shrub in the family Proteaceae endemic to Western Australia

Banksia prolata is a species of bushy shrub that is endemic to Western Australia. It has linear, serrated or pinnatifid leaves, yellow flowers in heads of between 150 and 250, and egg-shaped follicles.

Banksia plumosa is a species of shrub that is endemic to Western Australia. It has hairy stems, broadly linear pinnatifid to pinnatipartite leaves with triangular lobes, creamy-yellow flowers in heads of up to eighty, and egg-shaped follicles.

<i>Banksia serratuloides</i> Species of shrub in the family Proteaceae endemic to Western Australia

Banksia serratuloides is a species of small shrub that is endemic to Western Australia. It has linear, pinnatipartite leaves, yellow and pink flowers in heads of about forty and hairy, wrinkled follicles.

<i>Banksia squarrosa</i> Species of shrub in the genus Banksia native to Western Australia

Banksia squarrosa, commonly known as pingle, is a species of prickly shrub that is endemic to Western Australia. It has linear to narrow lance-shaped leaves with up to ten sharply-pointed teeth on each side, yellow flowers in heads of about sixty and later, up to seven oblong to egg-shaped follicles in each head.

<i>Banksia spinulosa <span style="font-style:normal;">var.</span> collina</i> Variety of shrub in the family Proteaceae from the east coast of Australia

Banksia spinulosa var. collina is a shrub that grows along the east coast of Australia, in Queensland and New South Wales. Commonly known as Hill Banksia or Golden Candlesticks, it is a taxonomic variety of B. spinulosa. It is a popular garden plant widely sold in nurseries.

References

  1. 1 2 "Banksia laevigata". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Banksia laevigata". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  3. 1 2 3 4 George, Alex S. (1999). Flora of Australia (PDF). Vol. 17B. Canberra: Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra. pp. 219–221. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 George, Alex S. (1981). "The genus Banksia L.f. (Proteaceae)". Nuytsia. 3 (3): 360–362. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  5. "Banksia laevigata". APNI. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  6. Meissner, Carl; de Candolle, Augustin P. (ed.) (1856). Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Vegetabilis. Paris: Sumptibus Victoris Masson. p. 458. Retrieved 2 May 2020.{{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)
  7. William T. Stearn (1992). Botanical Latin. History, grammar, syntax, terminology and vocabulary (4th ed.). Portland, Oregon: Timber Press. p. 438.
  8. Kuntze, Otto (1891). Revisio generum plantarum. Vol. 2. Leipzig: Arthur Felix. pp. 581–582.
  9. Rehder, A.; Weatherby, C. A.; Mansfeld, R.; Green, M. L. (1935). "Conservation of Later Generic Homonyms". Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew). 1935 (6/9): 368. doi:10.2307/4107078. JSTOR   4107078.
  10. Sprague, T. A. (1940). "Additional Nomina Generica Conservanda (Pteridophyta and Phanerogamae)". Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 1940 (3): 99. doi:10.2307/4111642. JSTOR   4111642.
  11. "Banksia laevigata subsp. fuscolutea". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  12. "Banksia laevigata subsp. fuscolutea". APNI. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  13. "Banksia laevigata subsp. laevigata". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  14. "Banksia laevigata subsp. laevigata". APNI. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  15. "Banksia laevigata subsp. fuscolutea". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  16. "'Banksia laevigata subsp. laevigata". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  17. "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  18. Sweedman, Luke; Merritt, David, eds. (2006). Australian seeds: a guide to their collection, identification and biology. CSIRO Publishing. p. 203. ISBN   0-643-09298-6.