Banksia meganotia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Banksia meganotia |
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| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Banksia
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| Species: |
meganotia
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| Synonyms | |
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Banksia meganotia is a type of prickly bush found only in Western Australia. It has long, narrow leaves with sharp points. Its yellow flowers grow in groups of about forty. After flowering, it produces small, woody fruits called follicles.
Contents
Discovering the Banksia Meganotia
What Does It Look Like?
Banksia meganotia is a shrub that usually grows to be about 0.3 to 1 meter (about 1 to 3 feet) tall. It has a special woody swelling underground called a lignotuber. This helps the plant regrow after a fire.
Its leaves are long and narrow, measuring 30 to 70 millimeters (about 1 to 3 inches) in length. They are 10 to 25 millimeters (about 0.4 to 1 inch) wide. Each leaf has between six and ten sharp, pointed parts on each side.
Flowers and Fruits
The flowers are bright yellow. They grow in a round cluster, with about forty flowers in each head. At the base of the flower head are special leaf-like parts called involucral bracts.
Each flower has a part called a perianth, which is about 22 to 23 millimeters long. It also has a hairy pistil, which is the part that receives pollen. This pistil is about 26 to 30 millimeters long.
Banksia meganotia usually flowers in October. After the flowers fade, small, woody fruits called follicles appear. These are about 5 millimeters long.
Naming the Banksia Meganotia
How It Got Its Name
This plant was first officially described in 1996 by a scientist named Alex George. He found specimens of the plant in the Dongolocking Nature Reserve. He named it Dryandra meganotia.
Later, in 2007, other scientists named Austin Mast and Kevin Thiele moved all the plants from the Dryandra group into the Banksia group. So, this plant became Banksia meganotia.
The second part of its name, meganotia, comes from ancient Greek words. "Mega" means "large," and "notia" means "southern." This name refers to the Great Southern region of Western Australia, where this plant grows.
Where the Banksia Meganotia Lives
Its Natural Home
Banksia meganotia mostly grows in a type of shrubland called kwongan. You can find it between the towns of Kulin and Nyabing. These areas are part of the Avon Wheatbelt and Mallee regions in Western Australia.
Protecting the Banksia Meganotia
Conservation Status
The Government of Western Australia's Department of Parks and Wildlife has classified this banksia as "Priority Three."
This means that we don't know a lot about this plant. It is only found in a few places. However, it is not currently in immediate danger of disappearing. Scientists continue to monitor its populations.
