Banksia tortifolia facts for kids

Banksia tortifolia is a small, flat, spreading shrub that is found only in the southwest of Western Australia. It has short stems that grow underground, and its leaves have many sharp, pointed parts on each side. Its flowers are greenish-cream, yellow, and pink, growing in heads of about eighty flowers. When the flowers are gone, they leave behind smooth, egg-shaped seed pods called follicles.

What Does Banksia tortifolia Look Like?

Banksia tortifolia is a low-growing, spreading shrub. It has short stems that grow underground, which help it survive bushfires. This plant usually grows to be about 15 to 25 centimeters (about 6 to 10 inches) tall.

Its leaves are quite special. They are long, about 10 to 17 centimeters (4 to 7 inches) long, and narrow, about 7 to 13 millimeters (0.3 to 0.5 inches) wide. Each leaf has a stalk, called a petiole, that is 1 to 3 centimeters (0.4 to 1.2 inches) long. Along the sides of the leaves, there are between forty and eighty-five sharp, twisted, finger-like parts.

The flowers of Banksia tortifolia grow in round clusters called heads. Each head has about seventy to ninety individual flowers. At the bottom of the flower head, there are a few hairy, thin leaf-like parts called bracts, which can be up to 2 centimeters (0.8 inches) long. The main part of the flower, called the perianth, is greenish-cream and pink, and it's about 2.7 to 3.4 centimeters (1.1 to 1.3 inches) long. The female part of the flower, called the pistil, is pale yellow and longer, about 3.8 to 5.4 centimeters (1.5 to 2.1 inches) long.

This banksia usually flowers in October. After flowering, it produces smooth, egg-shaped seed pods, known as follicles, which are about 1.2 to 1.4 centimeters (0.5 to 0.6 inches) long.

How Did Banksia tortifolia Get Its Name?

Scientists give plants special names so everyone knows exactly which plant they are talking about. The first time Banksia tortifolia was officially described was in 1855. This description was made by a scientist named Carl Meissner, using notes from another scientist, Richard Kippist. They called it Dryandra tortifolia back then.

Over time, scientists learn more about plants, and sometimes their names change. In 1870, George Bentham changed its name slightly. But in 1999, Alex George decided to bring back the original name, D. tortifolia.

Then, in 2007, two scientists, Austin Mast and Kevin Thiele, made a big change. They moved all the plants that were in the Dryandra group into the Banksia group. So, Dryandra tortifolia became Banksia tortifolia, which is its name today.

Where Does Banksia tortifolia Grow?

Banksia tortifolia is found only in a specific area of Western Australia. It grows in a type of shrubland called kwongan. This area is located between the towns of Eneabba and Cataby.

Is Banksia tortifolia Safe?

The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife keeps track of how many plants are left in the wild. They have classified Banksia tortifolia as "not threatened." This means there are enough of these plants in nature, and they are not currently at risk of disappearing.