Stirling Range National Park FloraAnigozanthos rufus (Red Kangaroo Paw) Banksia aculeata (Prickly Banksia) Banksia oreophila (Mountain Banksia) Banksia sphaerocarpa var sphaerocarpa (Fox Banksia) Darwinia wittwerorum (Wittwer’s Mountain Bell) Daviesia oppositifolia (Rattle-pea) Eucalyptus preissiana (Bell-fruited Mallee) Eucalyptus macrandra (Long-flowered Marlock) Eucalyptus uncinata (Hook-leaved Mallee) Hakea lehmanniana (Blue Hakea) Native Orchids
— see Banksia Index
An absolutely beautiful Banksia, classified as a P4 flora3, the rare Banksia aculeata (Prickly Banksia) belongs to the family Proteaceae and is native to the Stirling Range in the southwest region of Western Australia.
Banksia aculeata is shrub up to 2 m tall, and has dense foliage, the leaves being very prickly serrated margins.
The flower spikes (inflorescence) hang downwards, instead of upwards like many other banksia species. They grow at the ends of short leafy 2-3 year old side branches, the flower spikes ranging from 6-9 cm in length. The flower spike is composed of a central wood spike (axis), from which the individual flowers arise perpendicularly.
These floral units are made up of a smooth tubular perianth that envelops the flower’s sexual organs. The perianth are about 3–4.3 cm long and are pink at the base grading into green tinge cream colour. The flowers appear during early summer (January to March).
The shrub has fissured grey bark on its trunk and branches and unlike many banksia species, it does not have a woody base, or lignotuber. Found growing in gravelly soils in elevated areas, it is native to a habitat that is burnt by periodic bushfires. Whilst the banksia is killed by fire, the species regenerate from seeds.
The fruiting cone (an infructescence), is a swollen woody spike in which massive follicles are embedded. The cone gets the hairy appearance from the withered flower parts that persist on the spike. The obovate (egg-shaped) seed is 4–5 cm long and have a flat appearance.
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Phylum: Charophyta
- Class: Equisetopsida
- Subclass: Magnoliidae
- Superorder: Proteanae
- Order: Proteales
- Family: Proteaceae
- Genus: Banksia
- Species: Banksia aculeata
Footnote & References
- Banksia aculeata (Prickly Banksia), Stirling Range National Park WA © Terry Dunham
- Banksia aculeata A.S.George, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://id.biodiversity.org.au/node/apni/2919230
- Priority 4: Rare, Near Threatened and other species in need of monitoring (from the Conservation Category Definitions for Western Australian Fauna and Flora), Government of Western Australia, https://www.dbca.wa.gov.au/media/792/download
Stirling Range National Park FloraAnigozanthos rufus (Red Kangaroo Paw) Banksia aculeata (Prickly Banksia) Banksia oreophila (Mountain Banksia) Banksia sphaerocarpa var sphaerocarpa (Fox Banksia) Darwinia wittwerorum (Wittwer’s Mountain Bell) Daviesia oppositifolia (Rattle-pea) Eucalyptus preissiana (Bell-fruited Mallee) Eucalyptus macrandra (Long-flowered Marlock) Eucalyptus uncinata (Hook-leaved Mallee) Hakea lehmanniana (Blue Hakea) Native Orchids
Stirling Range National ParkFauna Flora Landscape
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