Banksia cuneata, commonly known as matchstick banksia or Quairading banksia, is an endangered species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae. Endemic to southwest Western Australia, it belongs to Banksia subg. Isostylis, a sub-genus of three closely related Banksia species. A shrub or small tree up to 5m high, it has prickly foliage and pink and cream flowers. The species is pollinated by honeyeaters.
About Banksia cuneata in brief
Banksia cuneata, commonly known as matchstick banksia or Quairading banksia, is an endangered species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae. Endemic to southwest Western Australia, it belongs to Banksia subg. Isostylis, a sub-genus of three closely related Banksia species with inflorescences or flower clusters that are dome-shaped heads. A shrub or small tree up to 5 m high, it has prickly foliage and pink and cream flowers. The common name Matchstick Banksia arises from the blooms in late bud, the individual buds of which resemble matchsticks. The species is pollinated by honeyeaters. Although B. cuneata was first collected before 1880, it was not until 1981 that Australian botanist Alex George formally described and named the species. There are two genetically distinct population groups, but no recognised varieties. This Banksia is classified as endangered, surviving in fragments of remnant bushland in a region which has been 93% cleared for agriculture. It is highly sensitive to bushfire frequency—fires recurring within four years could wipe out populations of plants not yet mature enough to set seed. The earliest known specimen collection was made by Julia Wells some time before 1880. The type specimen would later become the species for the species was collected by Australian Banksanist and Banksia expert Alex George on November 1971, from Badjaling Nature Reserve, about 8km east of Quairades Nature Reserve.
The genus Banksia was finally published by George in 1981, nearly a decade later in his monograph, ‘The Banksia genus and species: B. Cuneata’ B. Cuneata is most easily distinguished from the other two species in B. Isstylis by its brighter flowers and duller leaves. It further differs from B.ilicifolia in its smaller habit; its smooth bark; its smaller leaves, flowers and fruit and in its sequence of flower colour changes. The leaves, fruit of B.oligantha are smaller still, and its foliage is not as prickly as that of B Banksia. B. Buneata of the genus B. is a small shrub, growing up to 1.5m high. It has one or more main trunks with smooth grey bark, and many branches. Flowers occur in dome- shaped heads from three to four cm in diameter, growing at the ends of branches. They comprise 55 to 65 individual flowers, enclosed at the base by a whorl of short involucral bracts. At first, the perianth is mostly cream, being pink only near its base; it later becomes pink throughout. The style is initially cream, but turns red; the pollen presenter is green. Old flowers soon fall from the flower heads, revealing a woody base which may have up to five follicles embedded in it. These are a mottled grey colour, smooth, felted with short fine hairs, and measure from 1 to 3 cm high, 1. 7 to 2. 1 cm along the seam, and 0. 9 to 2 cm across the seam.
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This page is based on the article Banksia cuneata published in Wikipedia (as of Nov. 06, 2020) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.
