Banksia cypholoba facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Banksia cypholoba |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Banksia
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| Species: |
cypholoba
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| Synonyms | |
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Dryandra cypholoba A.S.George |
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Banksia cypholoba is a special kind of plant found only in Western Australia. It's a small, low-growing shrub, meaning it stays close to the ground. This plant has unique leaves with many triangular points on each side. It also grows beautiful heads of about sixty brownish and yellow flowers. After the flowers, it produces smooth, egg-shaped fruits called follicles.
What it Looks Like
Banksia cypholoba is a shrub that grows flat on the ground. It usually reaches about 0.3 meters (about 1 foot) tall. This plant has short stems that grow underground, which helps it survive bushfires.
Its leaves are quite long, about 12 to 20 centimeters (5 to 8 inches). They are also narrow, about 0.8 to 2 centimeters (0.3 to 0.8 inches) wide. Each leaf has a hairy stalk and between 25 and 40 triangular points on each side.
The flowers grow in a cluster, or "head," with about 50 to 60 flowers in total. At the bottom of each flower head are green and brownish leaf-like parts called bracts. These bracts are about 2 to 2.8 centimeters (0.8 to 1.1 inches) long and are covered with rusty brown hairs.
Each flower has a pale pinkish-brown outer part, called a perianth, which is about 2.7 to 3.7 centimeters (1.1 to 1.5 inches) long. Inside, there's a bright lemon-yellow part called a pistil, which is about 4.1 to 4.7 centimeters (1.6 to 1.9 inches) long. This plant usually flowers in August. After flowering, it produces smooth, egg-shaped fruits called follicles, which are about 1.3 to 1.6 centimeters (0.5 to 0.6 inches) long.
How it Got its Name
This type of banksia was first officially described in 1996. A scientist named Alex George wrote about it in a science journal called Nuytsia. He first named it Dryandra cypholoba. He found the first samples of this plant near a place called Warradarge in 1986.
Later, in 2007, two other scientists, Austin Mast and Kevin Thiele, made a change. They decided that all the plants in the Dryandra group should actually be part of the Banksia group. So, this plant's name officially changed to Banksia cypholoba.
The second part of its name, cypholoba, comes from ancient Greek words. "Cypho" means "bent" or "humped," and "loba" means "a lobe" or "a point." This name refers to the unique shape of the points on its leaves.
Where it Lives
Banksia cypholoba grows in a type of open shrubland called kwongan. It can also be found in thick scrub areas. You can find this plant between the towns of Arrino and the Alexander Morrison National Park. These areas are part of the Geraldton Sandplains region in Western Australia.
Its Conservation Status
The Government of Western Australia's Department of Parks and Wildlife keeps track of plants like Banksia cypholoba. They have classified it as "Priority Three."
This means that the plant is not very well known, and it only grows in a few specific places. However, it is not currently in immediate danger of disappearing. Scientists are still learning more about it and watching its populations.
