Banksia idiogenes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Banksia idiogenes |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Banksia
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| Species: |
idiogenes
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| Synonyms | |
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Dryandra idiogenes A.S.George |
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Banksia idiogenes is a special type of bushy plant, or shrub. It is found only in Western Australia, which means it is endemic there. This plant has stems covered in tiny hairs. Its leaves are deeply cut, almost like feathers. It produces unique, sweet-smelling flowers that are red and white. These flowers grow in groups of about eighty. After flowering, it forms several smooth, egg-shaped fruits called follicles.
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What Does Banksia idiogenes Look Like?
Banksia idiogenes is a bushy shrub. It can grow up to about 70 centimeters (2.3 feet) wide. Its stems are covered in tiny hairs. Unlike some other plants, it does not have a special woody base called a lignotuber that helps it regrow after fires.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves of this plant are very distinctive. They are long, usually between 15 and 37 centimeters (6 to 14.5 inches) long. They are also about 1.2 to 3.8 centimeters (0.5 to 1.5 inches) wide. Each leaf has many deep, triangular cuts or "lobes" along its sides. There are usually 20 to 25 of these lobes on each side. The underside of the leaves has a clear network of veins.
The flowers of Banksia idiogenes have a strong, pleasant smell. They grow in groups of about eighty flowers, forming a "head" at the ends of branches. Sometimes, these flower heads grow very close together. At the base of each flower head, there are papery leaf-like structures called bracts. These bracts can be up to 4.5 centimeters (1.8 inches) long.
Flower Colors and Fruit
Each individual flower has a part called a perianth, which is about 3.6 to 4.4 centimeters (1.4 to 1.7 inches) long. This part is white near the bottom and a deep red near the top. The flowers also have a cream-colored part called a pistil, which is about 3.5 to 3.9 centimeters (1.4 to 1.5 inches) long.
Banksia idiogenes usually flowers in August. After the flowers bloom, several egg-shaped fruits called follicles form in each head. These fruits are smooth and about 1.2 to 1.3 centimeters (0.5 inches) long.
How Banksia idiogenes Got Its Name
This plant was first officially described in 1996 by a scientist named Alex George. He gave it the name Dryandra idiogenes. He found the plant near a place called Newdegate in 1986.
The second part of its name, idiogenes, comes from an ancient Greek word. It means "distinctive" or "peculiar." This name was chosen because of the plant's unusual bracts and its strongly scented red and white flowers.
In 2007, two other scientists, Austin Mast and Kevin Thiele, made a change. They moved all the plants in the Dryandra group into the Banksia group. So, Dryandra idiogenes officially became Banksia idiogenes.
Where Banksia idiogenes Lives
Banksia idiogenes grows in a type of shrubland called kwongan. It is only found in a few small areas near Newdegate in Western Australia. This area is part of the Mallee biogeographic region.
Protecting Banksia idiogenes
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has given Banksia idiogenes a special conservation status. It is listed as "Priority Two." This means that not much is known about the plant, and it is found in only one or a few locations. Because of this, it needs to be carefully watched and protected.
