Banksia elderiana
Encyclopedia
The Swordfish Banksia (Banksia elderiana), commonly known as the swordfish banksia or palm banksia, is a species of shrub in the plant
genus
Banksia
. It occurs in two disjunct areas in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia
. One population extends over a large area from west of Kalgoorlie
south to Ravensthorpe
, with another population in the Great Victoria Desert
north of the Queen Victoria Spring.
Seeds do not require any treatment, and take 31 to 42 days to germinate.
and Ralph Tate
in 1893. Its specific name honours Sir Thomas Elder, who sponsored the expedition it was collected on.
Alex George placed Banksia elderiana in the series Cyrtostylis
, and felt its closest relative to be B. lullfitzii
on the basis of its similar leaves and propensity of both to form tangled shrubs. However, he conceded was heterogeneous, and also noted its affinities with the series Tetragonae
, containing other banksias with upside down inflorescences such as B. lemanniana
, B. caleyi
and B. aculeata
.
In 1996, Kevin Thiele
and Pauline Ladiges published the results of a cladistic
analysis of morphological
characters of Banksia. They retained George's subgenera and many of his series, but discarded his sections. George's B. ser. Cyrtostylis they found to be polyphyletic, a collection of species more closely related to others than each other. They united B. elderiana with the Tetragonae on the basis of upside down inflorescences and straight styles that do not bend once freed from the perianth at anthesis, a feature not seen in many other banksia species.
B. elderiana's placement in Thiele and Ladiges' arrangement
may be summarised as follows:
in the west and Salmon Gums
west of Kalgoorlie to the east. Then, it is found northeast of Queen Victoria Spring in the Great Victoria Desert to the east of Kalgoorlie. Heavier soils around Kalgoorlie prevent the two populations joining. It grows on yellow sands in mallee woodland, arid shrubland and grassland.
, from which it resprouts after fire. It has been shown to have a low to moderate susceptibility to dieback from the soil-borne water mould
Phytophthora cinnamomi
, unlike many Western Australian banksias.
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Banksia
Banksia
Banksia is a genus of around 170 species in the plant family Proteaceae. These Australian wildflowers and popular garden plants are easily recognised by their characteristic flower spikes and fruiting "cones" and heads. When it comes to size, banksias range from prostrate woody shrubs to trees up...
. It occurs in two disjunct areas in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia
Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia
The Goldfields-Esperance region is one of the nine regions of Western Australia. It is located in the south eastern corner of Western Australia, and comprises the local government areas of Coolgardie, Dundas, Esperance, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Laverton, Leonora, Menzies, Ngaanyatjarraku and...
. One population extends over a large area from west of Kalgoorlie
Kalgoorlie, Western Australia
Kalgoorlie, known as Kalgoorlie-Boulder, is a town in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia, and is located east-northeast of state capital Perth at the end of the Great Eastern Highway...
south to Ravensthorpe
Ravensthorpe, Western Australia
Ravensthorpe is a town 541 km south east of Perth, 40 km inland from the south coast of Western Australia. It is the seat of government of the Shire of Ravensthorpe...
, with another population in the Great Victoria Desert
Great Victoria Desert
The Great Victoria Desert is a barren and sparsely populated desert area of southern Australia.-Location and description:The Great Victoria is the biggest desert in Australia and consists of many small sandhills, grassland plains, areas with a closely packed surface of pebbles and salt lakes...
north of the Queen Victoria Spring.
Seeds do not require any treatment, and take 31 to 42 days to germinate.
Description
Banksia elderiana grows as a tangled and bushy shrub to 3 m (10 ft) in height, with new growth covered densely with brown fur. The stiff linear narrow leaves are very long and curled, measuring 15 to 40 cm (6–16 in) long and 1.2–2 cm (0.5-0.8 in) wide. The leaf margins are serrated, with many teeth measuring 0.3 to 0.5 cm each. Flowering typically occurs between January and March, but may continue into winter. The all-yellow inflorescences hang down from branchlets and measure 4–6 cm (1.6–2.4 in) in length. The inflorescences turn grey as they age, and the old flowers remain as up to 30 large woody follicles develop. Oval in shape, and covered with fine hair, they can reach 2.5 cm long 1.4 cm high, and 1.8 cm wide.Taxonomy
First collected on the Elder Exploring Expedition on September 17, 1891 by one Richard Helms, from a location around 130 km northeast of Queen Victoria Spring in the Great Victoria Desert, Banksia elderiana was formally described by Ferdinand von MuellerFerdinand von Mueller
Baron Sir Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von Mueller, KCMG was a German-Australian physician, geographer, and most notably, a botanist.-Early life:...
and Ralph Tate
Ralph Tate
Ralph Tate was a British-born botanist and geologist, who was later active in Australia.-Early life:Tate was born at Alnwick in Northumberland, the son of Thomas Turner Tate , a teacher of mathematics and science, and his wife Frances...
in 1893. Its specific name honours Sir Thomas Elder, who sponsored the expedition it was collected on.
Alex George placed Banksia elderiana in the series Cyrtostylis
Banksia ser. Cyrtostylis
Banksia ser. Cyrtostylis is a valid botanic name for a taxonomic series within the plant genus Banksia. First published at sectional rank by George Bentham in 1870, it was demoted to a series by Alex George in 1981. The name has had three circumscriptions.-According to Bentham:Bentham published B....
, and felt its closest relative to be B. lullfitzii
Banksia lullfitzii
Banksia lullfitzii is a species of shrub in the plant genus Banksia. A many-branched, spreading bush with golden-orange flowers, it occurs in scattered populations over a large area of the eastern goldfields of Western Australia...
on the basis of its similar leaves and propensity of both to form tangled shrubs. However, he conceded was heterogeneous, and also noted its affinities with the series Tetragonae
Banksia ser. Tetragonae
Banksia ser. Tetragonae is a taxonomic series in the genus Banksia. It consists of three closely related species of erect shrub with pendulous inflorescences in section Banksia. These are B. lemanniana , B. caleyi and B. aculeata ....
, containing other banksias with upside down inflorescences such as B. lemanniana
Banksia lemanniana
Banksia lemanniana, commonly known as the Yellow lantern Banksia or Lemann's Banksia, is a species of woody shrub in the genus Banksia of the family Proteaceae. It generally grows as an open shrub or small tree to 5 m high with stiff serrated leaves, and unusually hanging inflorescences...
, B. caleyi
Banksia caleyi
Banksia caleyi, commonly known as the red lantern banksia or Cayley's banksia, is a species of shrub in the plant genus Banksia. It occurs in southern Western Australia south and east of the Stirling Ranges through to around Jerramungup...
and B. aculeata
Banksia aculeata
Banksia aculeata, commonly known as Prickly Banksia, is a species of shrub native to the Stirling Range in southwest Western Australia. One of three closely related species all of which have distinctive upside down lantern-like inflorescences, it bears pinkish blooms in early summer. The leaves...
.
In 1996, Kevin Thiele
Kevin Thiele
Kevin R. Thiele is curator of the Western Australian Herbarium. His research interests include the systematics of the plant families Proteaceae, Rhamnaceae and Violaceae, and the conservation ecology of grassy woodland ecosystems...
and Pauline Ladiges published the results of a cladistic
Cladistics
Cladistics is a method of classifying species of organisms into groups called clades, which consist of an ancestor organism and all its descendants . For example, birds, dinosaurs, crocodiles, and all descendants of their most recent common ancestor form a clade...
analysis of morphological
Morphology (biology)
In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
characters of Banksia. They retained George's subgenera and many of his series, but discarded his sections. George's B. ser. Cyrtostylis they found to be polyphyletic, a collection of species more closely related to others than each other. They united B. elderiana with the Tetragonae on the basis of upside down inflorescences and straight styles that do not bend once freed from the perianth at anthesis, a feature not seen in many other banksia species.
B. elderiana's placement in Thiele and Ladiges' arrangement
Thiele and Ladiges' taxonomic arrangement of Banksia
Kevin Thiele and Pauline Ladiges' taxonomic arrangement of Banksia, published in 1996, was a novel taxonomic arrangement that was intended to align the taxonomy of Banksia more closely with the phylogeny that they had inferred from their cladistic analysis of the genus...
may be summarised as follows:
- BanksiaBanksiaBanksia is a genus of around 170 species in the plant family Proteaceae. These Australian wildflowers and popular garden plants are easily recognised by their characteristic flower spikes and fruiting "cones" and heads. When it comes to size, banksias range from prostrate woody shrubs to trees up...
- B. subg. IsostylisBanksia subg. IsostylisBanksia subg. Isostylis is a subgenus of Banksia. It contains three closely related species, all of which occur only in Southwest Western Australia. Members of subgenus Isostylis have dome-shaped flower heads that are superficially similar to those of B. ser...
(3 species) - B. elegansBanksia elegansThe Elegant Banksia is a species of shrub or small tree in the plant genus Banksia. It occurs only over a 65 square kilometre area north and west of Eneabba, Western Australia.-Ecology:...
(incertae sedis) - B. subg. BanksiaBanksia subg. BanksiaBanksia subg. Banksia is a valid botanic name for a subgenus of Banksia. As an autonym, it necessarily contains the type species of Banksia, B. serrata . Within this constraint, however, there have been various circumscriptions.-Banksia verae:B. subg...
- B. ser. TetragonaeBanksia ser. TetragonaeBanksia ser. Tetragonae is a taxonomic series in the genus Banksia. It consists of three closely related species of erect shrub with pendulous inflorescences in section Banksia. These are B. lemanniana , B. caleyi and B. aculeata ....
- B. elderiana
- B. lemannianaBanksia lemannianaBanksia lemanniana, commonly known as the Yellow lantern Banksia or Lemann's Banksia, is a species of woody shrub in the genus Banksia of the family Proteaceae. It generally grows as an open shrub or small tree to 5 m high with stiff serrated leaves, and unusually hanging inflorescences...
- B. caleyiBanksia caleyiBanksia caleyi, commonly known as the red lantern banksia or Cayley's banksia, is a species of shrub in the plant genus Banksia. It occurs in southern Western Australia south and east of the Stirling Ranges through to around Jerramungup...
- B. aculeataBanksia aculeataBanksia aculeata, commonly known as Prickly Banksia, is a species of shrub native to the Stirling Range in southwest Western Australia. One of three closely related species all of which have distinctive upside down lantern-like inflorescences, it bears pinkish blooms in early summer. The leaves...
- B. ser. Lindleyanae (1 species)
- B. ser. BanksiaBanksia ser. BanksiaBanksia ser. Banksia is avalid botanic name for a series of Banksia. As an autonym, it necessarily contains the type species of Banksia, B. serrata . Within this constraint, however, there have been various circumscriptions.-According to Bentham:Banksia ser. Banksia originated in 1870 as...
(2 subseries, 12 species) - B. baueriBanksia baueriThe Woolly Banksia is a species of shrub in the plant genus Banksia. It occurs in southwest Western Australia north and east of Albany. It has a distinctively large and hairy looking inflorescence which can be 300 mm or more long and up to 200 mm in diameter.It is placed alone in series...
(incertae sedis) - B. lullfitziiBanksia lullfitziiBanksia lullfitzii is a species of shrub in the plant genus Banksia. A many-branched, spreading bush with golden-orange flowers, it occurs in scattered populations over a large area of the eastern goldfields of Western Australia...
(incertae sedis) - B. attenuataBanksia attenuataBanksia attenuata, commonly known as the candlestick banksia or slender banksia, is a species of plant in the proteaceae family. Commonly a tree, it reaches 10 m high, but is often a shrub in dryer areas 0.4 to 2 m high...
(incertae sedis) - B. ashbyiBanksia ashbyiThe Ashby's Banksia is a species of shrub in the plant genus Banksia. It occurs in heath and spinifex country along the coast of Western Australia between Geraldton and Exmouth.-Description:...
(incertae sedis) - B. coccineaBanksia coccineaBanksia coccinea, commonly known as the Scarlet Banksia, Waratah Banksia or Albany Banksia, is an erect shrub or small tree in the plant genus Banksia...
(incertae sedis) - B. ser. ProstrataeBanksia ser. ProstrataeBanksia ser. Prostratae is a taxonomic series in the genus Banksia. It consists of six closely related species in section Banksia, all endemic to Western Australia, with a prostrate habit.Banksia ser...
(8 species) - B. ser. CyrtostylisBanksia ser. CyrtostylisBanksia ser. Cyrtostylis is a valid botanic name for a taxonomic series within the plant genus Banksia. First published at sectional rank by George Bentham in 1870, it was demoted to a series by Alex George in 1981. The name has had three circumscriptions.-According to Bentham:Bentham published B....
(4 species) - B. ser. OchraceaeBanksia ser. OchraceaeBanksia ser. Ochraceae is a valid botanic name for a taxonomic series within the plant genus Banksia. It was published by Kevin Thiele in 1996, but discarded by Alex George in 1999.-Cladistics:...
(3 species, 2 subspecies) - B. ser. GrandesBanksia ser. GrandesBanksia ser. Grandes is a taxonomic series in the genus Banksia. It consists of two closely related species in section Banksia, both endemic to Western Australia. These are B. grandis and B. solandri ....
(2 species) - B. ser. SalicinaeBanksia ser. SalicinaeBanksia ser. Salicinae is a valid botanic name for a series of Banksia. First published by Carl Meissner in 1856, the name has had three circumscriptions.-According to Meissner:...
(2 series, 11 species, 4 subspecies) - B. ser. SpicigeraeBanksia ser. SpicigeraeBanksia ser. Spicigerae is a taxonomic series in the genus Banksia. It consists of the seven species in section Oncostylis that have cylindrical inflorescences. These range in form from small shrubs to tall trees. The leaves grow in either an alternate or whorled pattern, with various shape forms...
(3 series, 7 species, 6 varieties) - B. ser. QuercinaeBanksia ser. QuercinaeBanksia ser. Quercinae is avalid botanic name for a series of Banksia. First published by Carl Meissner in 1856, the name has had three circumscriptions.-According to Meissner:...
(2 species) - B. ser. DryandroideaeBanksia ser. DryandroideaeBanksia ser. Dryandroideae is a valid botanic name for a taxonomic series in the plant genus Banksia. First published by Carl Meissner in 1856, the name has had two circumscriptions. As presently circumscribed it is monotypic, containing only B. dryandroides.-According to Meissner:B. ser...
(1 species) - B. ser. AbietinaeBanksia ser. AbietinaeBanksia ser. Abietinae is avalid botanic name for a series of Banksia. First published by Carl Meissner in 1856, the name has had three circumscriptions.-According to Meissner:...
(4 subseries, 15 species, 8 varieties)
- B. ser. Tetragonae
- B. subg. Isostylis
Distribution and habitat
Banksia elderiana is found in two disjunct regions, the larger being a broad area between HydenHyden, Western Australia
The town of Hyden is located 339 km east of Perth, Western Australia in the Shire of Kondinin. Hyden is home to Wave Rock and Mulka's Cave, both popular local tourist attractions....
in the west and Salmon Gums
Salmon Gums, Western Australia
Salmon Gums is a small town in Western Australia located 106 km north of Esperance on the Coolgardie-Esperance Highway. The name is derived from a prominent stretch of Eucalyptus salmonophloia trees which formed a landmark in the town's early days. The town is part of the Shire of Esperance...
west of Kalgoorlie to the east. Then, it is found northeast of Queen Victoria Spring in the Great Victoria Desert to the east of Kalgoorlie. Heavier soils around Kalgoorlie prevent the two populations joining. It grows on yellow sands in mallee woodland, arid shrubland and grassland.
Ecology
Banksia elderiana has a woody base known as a lignotuberLignotuber
A lignotuber is a starchy swelling of the root crown possessed by some plants as a protection against destruction of the plant stem by fire. The crown contains buds from which new stems may sprout, and a sufficient store of nutrients to support a period of growth in the absence of...
, from which it resprouts after fire. It has been shown to have a low to moderate susceptibility to dieback from the soil-borne water mould
Water mould
Oömycota or oömycetes form a distinct phylogenetic lineage of fungus-like eukaryotic microorganisms . They are filamentous, microscopic, absorptive organisms that reproduce both sexually and asexually...
Phytophthora cinnamomi
Phytophthora cinnamomi
Phytophthora cinnamomi is a soil-borne water mould that produces an infection which causes a condition in plants called root rot or dieback. The plant pathogen is one of the world's most invasive species and is present in over 70 countries from around the world.- Life cycle and effects on plants :P...
, unlike many Western Australian banksias.