Wagin banksia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wagin banksia |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Banksia
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| Species: |
oligantha
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The Banksia oligantha, also known as the Wagin banksia, is a special plant found only in southwest Western Australia. It's part of the plant family called Proteaceae. This plant is considered an endangered species, meaning it's at risk of disappearing forever.
The Wagin banksia belongs to a group of three similar Banksia plants called Banksia subg. Isostylis. These plants are unique because their flowers grow in dome-shaped clusters, not the usual spiky shapes seen on most banksias. This plant can be a shrub or a small tree, growing up to 4 meters (about 13 feet) tall. It has spiky leaves and its pink and cream-colored flowerheads appear in late spring, usually from October to December.
This plant was first found in 1984 near the town of Wagin. In 1987, a botanist named Alex George officially described it. Today, only a few groups of Wagin banksia plants remain. They live in small patches of bushland that haven't been cleared for farming. Because it's so rare, the Western Australian Government has listed it as "Declared Rare Flora."
Contents
What does the Wagin Banksia look like?
The Wagin banksia can grow as a small tree with one main trunk or as a straight shrub with a few main stems. It can reach heights of 3 to 5 meters (about 10 to 16 feet). When it's not flowering, it looks a bit like the Parrot Bush (Banksia sessilis).
Its bark is mostly smooth and grey. Older trees might have slightly cracked bark near the bottom of the trunk. Young stems are covered in soft and coarse hairs, but these hairs fall off as the plant gets older.
Leaves
The leaves of the Wagin banksia are a shiny deep green on top and a dull pale green underneath. They are generally oval-shaped but curve inwards instead of lying flat. Each leaf has a sharp point at its tip and two to four more sharp points along its edges. They are about 1.5 to 3.7 centimeters (0.6 to 1.5 inches) long and 0.4 to 2.0 centimeters (0.16 to 0.8 inches) wide. Young leaves have woolly hairs, but these soon disappear.
Flowers
The flowers appear from October to December, which is late spring in Australia. They grow in dome-shaped heads at the ends of branches. These flower heads are about 2.5 to 3 centimeters (1 to 1.2 inches) across. Each head has only 20 to 35 individual flowers. At the base of the flower head, there are furry leaf-like parts called involucral bracts.
Like most plants in the Proteaceae family, each flower has four parts that are joined together, called a perianth. It also has a single pistil, which is the female part of the flower. The style (a part of the pistil) is first hidden inside the flower but breaks free when the flower opens. In the Wagin banksia, the perianth is about 21 to 22 millimeters (0.8 to 0.9 inches) long. The flowers are red at the bottom and become pale yellow towards the tip. The styles are straight, about 19 to 24 millimeters (0.75 to 0.94 inches) long, and are a uniform cream color.
Fruit and Seeds
After the flowers bloom, they soon fall off, leaving behind a woody dome. This dome holds 1 to 6 seed pods, called follicles. These pods are mottled grey, smooth, and slightly furry. They are oval-shaped, about 14 to 19 millimeters (0.55 to 0.75 inches) long, 10 to 15 millimeters (0.39 to 0.59 inches) high, and 8 to 9 millimeters (0.31 to 0.35 inches) wide. Each pod can hold up to two winged seeds, which are about 17 to 20 millimeters (0.67 to 0.79 inches) long.
The Wagin banksia is easiest to tell apart from its two closest relatives in the Isostylis group because it has smaller leaves, flowers, and fruit. Its leaves are also not as spiky as those of the Matchstick banksia (B. cuneata).
How was the Wagin Banksia discovered and named?
The Banksia oligantha was first found by Ken Wallace in September 1984. He was working for the Government of Western Australia's Department of Conservation and Land Management. He found it during a survey of the Wangeling Gully Nature Reserve, which is about 28 kilometers (17 miles) northwest of Wagin.
Two months later, in November 1984, Anne Taylor collected a sample from the same spot. This sample became the "type specimen," which is the official example used to describe a new species. Even before it was officially named, people knew it was a new type of banksia. They called it "Banksia aff. Cuneata" or "Banksia sp. Wagin."
Alex George, a famous Australian botanist, included it in his book The Banksia Book in 1987, using the name Banksia oligantha. The name was officially published the next year in his paper "New taxa and notes on Banksia L.f. (Proteaceae)." The name oligantha comes from Greek words: oligo- means "few," and anthos means "flower." This refers to the small number of flowers in each flower head.
The Wagin banksia has always been known by this name. It doesn't have any other scientific names, and no subspecies or varieties have been found.
Where does the Wagin Banksia live?
The Banksia oligantha grows in a region about 100 kilometers (62 miles) wide in the southern part of the Avon Wheatbelt in Western Australia. There are four known groups of these plants, with about 1,700 adult plants in total:
- The first group found is at Wangeling Gully Nature Reserve. This group seems to be shrinking. In 1988, there were 500 to 800 plants, but by 2004, only 135 adult plants were found, with many dead ones.
- A healthy group is found near Katanning. This group seems to be growing! A survey in 2004 found almost 1,400 adult plants and over 500 young plants.
- A small group is at Dudinin. This group is also shrinking, with the number of adult plants falling from 110 to just 13 between 1997 and 2004. No young plants have been seen here.
- A newly found healthy group is on private land near Toolibin. In 2004, 188 adult plants and 35 young plants were counted here.
The Wagin banksia grows in sand dunes that are white, white-grey, or yellow-brown. These dunes are usually near temporary salt creeks. The plants can be found in low areas near the creeks and on top of the dunes. The area where they grow is described as open woodland with low shrubs or tall open shrubland with some scattered trees.
Life and Survival of the Wagin Banksia
Not much is known about how the Wagin banksia lives its life. It probably lives for about 10 to 30 years.
Pollination
Six types of honeyeater birds have been seen feeding on its flowers. Insects like honeybees, ants, butterflies, and native bees also visit the flowers. Both birds and insects help to pollinate the plant, meaning they help spread pollen so the plant can make seeds. However, honeybees might not be very good at this. One study found that only a small number of honeybees collected pollen, and they often moved between flowers on the same plant instead of going to different plants.
Fire and Reproduction
Like many plants in southwest Western Australia, the Wagin banksia is used to bushfires happening often. Most banksia plants react to fire in one of two ways:
- Reseeders are killed by fire, but the fire helps release their seeds from the plant's canopy. This allows new plants to grow.
- Resprouters can survive fires by growing new shoots from a special woody base called a lignotuber or from buds protected by thick bark.
The Wagin banksia is a reseeder. It has thin bark and no lignotuber, so fire kills it. However, fire helps its seeds to be released. Even without fire, some seeds will still be released.
The seeds of the Wagin banksia grow very well. One study showed that more than 77% of the seeds tested sprouted. The seeds are also likely to stay good for a long time, as seeds from the similar B. cuneata can last for about ten years.
Why is the Wagin Banksia endangered?
The Banksia oligantha is listed as an endangered species under Australia's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). It's also listed as rare by Western Australia's Wildlife Conservation Act 1950. These rankings are because there are only a few small groups of these plants left, and their homes are slowly being destroyed.
Some of the biggest threats to the Wagin banksia include:
- Grazing: Sheep and rabbits eating the plants.
- Drought: Long periods without rain.
- Chemicals: Sprays from nearby farms drifting onto the plants.
- Weeds: Other plants growing and taking over the banksia's space.
- Salinity: Rising salt levels in the soil, which can harm plants.
Studies have also shown that the Wagin banksia can get sick from a disease called Phytophthora cinnamomi dieback, which is a type of root rot.
Growing the Wagin Banksia
The Wagin banksia is not often grown by people, even though it's a beautiful plant. It grows quickly and produces many "lovely masses of matchstick-like cream flowers." However, its spiky leaves make it not ideal for planting near paths. It can also lose branches in strong winds and is often attacked by woodboring beetles.
You can grow new plants from seeds, but these seeds are hard to find. The seeds don't need any special treatment before planting and usually sprout in 37 to 40 days. Trying to grow them from cuttings (pieces of the plant) hasn't been done much, but it might be possible since a related plant, B. cuneata, has been grown this way.
If you want to grow a Wagin banksia, it should be planted in deep, sandy soil that is slightly acidic to neutral. It's best to choose a sheltered spot. It's also a good idea to trim the plant when it's young to help it grow more branches.
- Banksia oligantha — Wagin Banksia, Species Profile and Threats Database, Department of the Environment and Heritage, Australia.
See also
In Spanish: Wagin banksia para niños
