Banksia laricina
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 B. laricina
Moore Rvr National Park |
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| Banksia laricina C.A.Gardner |
The Rose-Fruited Banksia (Banksia laricina) is a species of shrub in the plant genus Banksia. It derives its specific latin name from larix or larch, which its foliage is said to resemble. The common name comes from the striking fruits which resemble wooden roses. Other common names are Rose Banksia and Pom-Pom Banksia.
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[edit] Description
A woody shrub to 2 metres high and wide with fine green foliage, narrow linear leaves to 1.5cm long, flowering occurs in winter. The small yellowish inflorescences are unremarkable, resembling pom-poms, and are often hidden within the foliage. These are followed by the characteristic fruiting bodies, the follicles of which are bright green when young (pictured), before fading to a brown-grey colour.
Some plants produce old cones with attractive wavy follicles.
[edit] Distribution and habitat
It occurs within a range of only 35 square kilometres east of Lancelin, Western Australia, occurring on sany soils within Moore River National Park, which straddles the Brand Highway to the north of Perth. It grows as an understorey shrub in open dry sclerophyll eucalypt forest.
Unfortunately, because of its distinctive fruiting bodies, it is under threat as many of these are wild-picked for use in horticulture.
[edit] Taxonomy
Banksia laricina belongs in the series Abietinae. On Thiele's morphological analysis[1], its closest relatives appear to be Banksia incana and B. tricuspis. B. incana is its sister clade in Mast's analysis as well.
[edit] Cultivation
Rarely cultivated, Banksia laricina will grow on sandy well drained soils in a sunny position. It may require extra water during summer dry periods and take some time (up to 18 months) to establish well.
[edit] References
- ^ Thiele, Kevin, Pauline Y. Ladiges (1996). "A Cladistic Analysis of Banksia (Proteaceae)". Australian Systematic Botany 9 (5): 661-733.
- George, Alex (1981). "The Genus Banksia L.f. (Proteaceae)". Nuytsia 3 (3): 239–473.
- George, Alex (1999). “Banksia”, Wilson, Annette (ed.) Flora of Australia: Volume 17B: Proteaceae 3: Hakea to Dryandra. CSIRO Publishing / Australian Biological Resources Study, 175–251. ISBN 0-643-06454-0.
- Taylor, Anne and Hooper, Stephen D. (1988). The Banksia Atlas (Australian Flora and Fauna Series Number 8). Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra. ISBN 0-644-07124-9.
[edit] External links
- Banksia laricina at Flora of Australia Online, Department of the Environment and Heritage, Australia.
- Banksia laricina at Florabase, Department of Environment and Conservation, Western Australia.
