Stirling Range dryandra facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stirling Range dryandra |
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| Conservation status | |
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Banksia
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| Species: |
montana
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The Banksia montana, also known as the Stirling Range dryandra, is a special type of shrub. It grows only in the Stirling Range in Western Australia. This plant has fuzzy stems and unique leaves with twisted parts. It produces yellow flowers and reddish-brown seed pods.
Contents
What Does the Stirling Range Dryandra Look Like?
The Banksia montana is a shrub that can grow up to 2.5 meters (about 8 feet) tall. Its stems are covered in short, reddish-brown hairs.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves are long and narrow, measuring 80 to 250 millimeters (about 3 to 10 inches) in length. Each leaf has many small, twisted parts on its sides.
The flowers are yellow and grow in groups of about 50 to 60. These flower heads have small, leaf-like parts at their base. The plant usually flowers from December or January to February.
Seeds and Fruit
After flowering, the plant produces dark reddish-brown seed pods called follicles. These pods are egg-shaped and about 9 to 11 millimeters (less than half an inch) long. They stay on the plant for up to four years before breaking apart.
How Was This Plant Named?
The first sample of the Banksia montana was collected by Ken Newbey in 1966. This happened at Bluff Knoll in the Stirling Range.
Botanical History
A botanist named Charles Austin Gardner first gave it the name Dryandra montana. However, he didn't officially publish this name. Later, in 1996, another botanist, Alex George, formally described the species.
In 2007, scientists Austin Mast and Kevin Thiele moved all plants from the Dryandra group into the Banksia group. This is why the plant is now called Banksia montana. The word montana comes from Latin and means "pertaining to mountains." This name refers to where the plant naturally grows.
Where Does the Stirling Range Dryandra Live?
The Banksia montana is found only on the higher parts of Bluff Knoll. This is a mountain in the Stirling Range, at altitudes above 900 meters (about 3,000 feet). It grows on rocky ground made of sandstone or siltstone.
Special Habitat
This plant is part of a special group of plants called the "Eastern Stirling Range Montane Heath and Thicket Threatened Ecological Community." This community is in danger. In 2004, only four groups of these plants were known to exist. There were about 45 adult plants and 16 younger ones in total.
What Challenges Does This Plant Face?
The Stirling Range dryandra is very sensitive to bushfires. When a fire happens, the adult plants die. New plants then grow from seeds.
Fire and Recovery
It takes about nine years for new plants to grow and produce their own seeds. Scientists believe the plant needs fires to happen about every 18 years to recover well. However, if fires happen too often, like two fires close together, many plants can die without enough new ones growing.
Plant Diseases
This plant is also very sensitive to a disease called dieback, caused by a fungus-like organism called Phytophthora cinnamomi. This disease has affected three out of the four known groups of Banksia montana plants.
Other Organisms
A type of mealybug called Pseudococcus markharveyi has been found on the leaves of this plant. Scientists think this mealybug might only live on Banksia montana. This means the mealybug could also be in danger if the plant's numbers drop.
How Is This Plant Protected?
The Banksia montana is listed as "endangered" by the Australian Government. This means it is at high risk of disappearing forever. A plan has been made to help protect and recover this species.
Conservation Efforts
The main dangers to the Banksia montana are the dieback disease and fires that happen too often or not often enough. Protecting its habitat from these threats is very important for its survival.
Can People Grow This Plant?
Yes, the Stirling Range dryandra has been successfully grown in pots. It has been grown at Kings Park in Perth and at the Banksia Farm in Mount Barker. This shows that it can be grown outside of its natural habitat.
