Banksia acuminata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Banksia acuminata |
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Banksia
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acuminata
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Banksia acuminata is a rare plant found only in the south-west part of Western Australia. It's a type of prostrate shrub, which means it grows low to the ground instead of standing tall. This plant was first named Dryandra preissii in 1848. Later, in 2007, it was moved into the Banksia group and given its current name, B. acuminata.
What it Looks Like
This plant grows as a low, spreading shrub. It has a special underground stem called a lignotuber. This helps it survive fires and dry times.
Its leaves are quite long, about 7 to 15 centimeters (3 to 6 inches). They have a stem (petiole) that is 2 to 6 centimeters long. The leaves are deeply divided into narrow, finger-like parts. These parts can be up to 4 centimeters long. Sometimes, the tips of these leaf parts are also divided.
The flowers of Banksia acuminata grow in a dome-shaped head. This is a common feature for plants in the Banksia group. These flower heads appear at the ends of branches. They can be found alone or in small groups. The flowers are orange-yellow and about three centimeters (1.2 inches) wide.
Each flower head holds about 50 to 70 individual flowers. These flowers are arranged in a ring around a hollow center. Many narrow, pointed leaves called involucral bracts surround the flower head.
Like all plants in the Proteaceae family, each flower has a tube-like part called a perianth. This perianth is made of four joined parts called tepals. Inside are the anthers, which hold pollen. There's also a long, thin part called a pistil. The pistil is usually trapped inside the flower at first. But it breaks free when the flower opens (this is called anthesis).
In B. acuminata, the perianth is about 24–25 millimeters long. It's pale pink at the bottom and purplish at the top. It also has sticky hairs near its base. The pistil is longer, about 29–40 millimeters, and can be cream or pink. After flowering, the plant produces a woody fruit called a follicle. This fruit is firmly held in the woody base of the flower head. It usually contains one seed with a wing, which helps it spread.
How it Got its Name
The first person to collect this plant was Ludwig Preiss. He found it near the Gordon River in Western Australia on November 7, 1840. Later, in 1845, a scientist named Carl Meissner officially described it. He named it Dryandra preissii in honor of Ludwig Preiss.
Over time, scientists learned more about plants. In 1870, George Bentham studied the plant's flowers and fruits. He noticed it was similar to other plants in a group called Dryandra ser. Niveae.
In 1996, Alex George placed Dryandra preissii in its own new group. He called this group Dryandra ser. Acuminatae. The name "acuminatae" comes from a Latin word meaning "tapering to a long point." This refers to the plant's unusual pointed bracts around its flowers.
A big change happened in February 2007. Two scientists, Austin Mast and Kevin Thiele, decided that all Dryandra plants should actually be part of the Banksia group. This meant Dryandra preissii needed a new name. The name Banksia preissii was already used for a different plant. So, Mast and Thiele chose "acuminata" for the new name. They picked this name for the same reason Alex George did: because of the plant's pointed bracts.
So, Dryandra preissii became Banksia acuminata. This change helped simplify how these plants are grouped. Now, B. acuminata is placed within the Banksia group, specifically in the Dryandra series.
Where it Lives
Banksia acuminata is only found in two specific areas of Western Australia. These are the Jarrah Forest and Avon Wheatbelt regions. You can find it between towns like Woodanilling, Cranbrook, and Collie.
It likes to grow in lateritic soils, which are reddish soils rich in iron. It's often found among Eucalyptus trees in woodlands. It can also grow in sandy areas in a type of shrubland called kwongan.
Protecting the Plant
As of 2008, B. acuminata is listed as "Priority Four - Rare" by the Department of Environment and Conservation. This means the plant is considered rare. However, it doesn't seem to have any major threats that would cause it to disappear quickly.
Scientists have studied how climate change might affect this plant. They found that it could be at risk of losing its habitat by 2080. This could happen even if climate change is not very severe. This shows why it's important to protect its environment.
