Banksia nivea
Encyclopedia
Banksia nivea, commonly known as Honeypot Dryandra, is a shrub
endemic to Western Australia
. First described as Banksia nivea, it was transferred to Dryandra as Dryandra nivea by Robert Brown
in 1810, and remained in that genus until 2007, when all Dryandra species were transferred to Banksia
by Austin Mast
and Kevin Thiele
.
The distribution range is forests, coastal plains and woodlands of the Southwest Botanical Province, extending to the east around Esperance and north to the Geraldton Sandplains
, and most frequently recorded in Jarrah Forest and the Swan Coastal Plain. The species is associated with lateritic and granitic soil, with gravel or on sandy types, its habit is a very low shrub or obtaining a height of 1.5 metres.
This species was first collected by Jacques Labillardière
in the vicinity of Esperance Bay
between 15 and 17 December 1792, during a search for the naturalist Claude Riche
, who had become lost on the Australian mainland. This was described and figured in Relation du Voyage à la Recherche de la Pérouse
, his account of the voyage published in 1800, under the name Banksia nivea. In 1810 Robert Brown
transferred it into a new genus, Dryandra
, and it remained there until 2007 when Austin Mast
and Kevin Thiele
transferred all Dryandra species into Banksia.
Species of nectarivorous birds that have been observed feeding on B. nivea include Acanthorhynchus superciliosus (Western Spinebill). Black Cockatoos have also been recorded feeding upon the seed, though it is not clear which species of black cockatoo was observed, Calyptorhynchus baudinii (Baudin's Black Cockatoo) or C. latirostris (Carnaby's Black Cockatoo).
A number of subspecies have been described,
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
endemic to Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. First described as Banksia nivea, it was transferred to Dryandra as Dryandra nivea by Robert Brown
Robert Brown (botanist)
Robert Brown was a Scottish botanist and palaeobotanist who made important contributions to botany largely through his pioneering use of the microscope...
in 1810, and remained in that genus until 2007, when all Dryandra species were transferred to 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...
by Austin Mast
Austin Mast
Austin R. Mast is a research botanist. Born in 1972, he obtained a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2000. He is currently an associate professor within the Department of Biological Science at Florida State University , and has been director of FSU's since August 2003.One of his...
and 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...
.
The distribution range is forests, coastal plains and woodlands of the Southwest Botanical Province, extending to the east around Esperance and north to the Geraldton Sandplains
Geraldton Sandplains
Geraldton Sandplains is an Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia region in Western Australia and part of the larger Southwest Australia savanna ecoregion.It has two sub regions: -* Geraldton Hills sub region* Lesuer sub region...
, and most frequently recorded in Jarrah Forest and the Swan Coastal Plain. The species is associated with lateritic and granitic soil, with gravel or on sandy types, its habit is a very low shrub or obtaining a height of 1.5 metres.
This species was first collected by Jacques Labillardière
Jacques Labillardière
Jacques-Julien Houtou de Labillardière was a French naturalist noted for his descriptions of the flora of Australia. Labillardière was a member of a voyage in search of the La Pérouse expedition...
in the vicinity of Esperance Bay
Esperance Bay
Esperance Bay is a bay on the south coast of Western Australia. Nominally located at , it is the site of the town of Esperance.The bay was discovered on 9 December 1792 by a French expedition under Bruni d'Entrecasteaux, which sailed in search of the lost expedition of Jean-François de Galaup,...
between 15 and 17 December 1792, during a search for the naturalist Claude Riche
Claude Riche
Claude-Antoine-Gaspard Riche was a naturalist on Bruni d'Entrecasteaux's 1791 expedition in search of the lost ships of Jean-François de Galaup, comte de La Pérouse.Cape Riche, on the south coast of Australia, is named in his honour.-Early Life:...
, who had become lost on the Australian mainland. This was described and figured in Relation du Voyage à la Recherche de la Pérouse
Relation du Voyage à la Recherche de la Pérouse
Relation du Voyage à la Recherche de la Pérouse is a book , issued in 1800, that gives an account of the 1791-1793 d'Entrecasteaux expedition to Australasia. The title refers to the search for La Pérouse, who disappeared in the region in 1788, a popular, though unsuccessful, object of the mission...
, his account of the voyage published in 1800, under the name Banksia nivea. In 1810 Robert Brown
Robert Brown (botanist)
Robert Brown was a Scottish botanist and palaeobotanist who made important contributions to botany largely through his pioneering use of the microscope...
transferred it into a new genus, Dryandra
Dryandra
Banksia ser. Dryandra is a series of 94 species of shrub to small tree in the plant genus Banksia. It was considered a separate genus named Dryandra until early 2007, when it was merged into Banksia on the basis of extensive molecular and morphological evidence that Banksia was paraphyletic with...
, and it remained there until 2007 when Austin Mast
Austin Mast
Austin R. Mast is a research botanist. Born in 1972, he obtained a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2000. He is currently an associate professor within the Department of Biological Science at Florida State University , and has been director of FSU's since August 2003.One of his...
and 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...
transferred all Dryandra species into Banksia.
Species of nectarivorous birds that have been observed feeding on B. nivea include Acanthorhynchus superciliosus (Western Spinebill). Black Cockatoos have also been recorded feeding upon the seed, though it is not clear which species of black cockatoo was observed, Calyptorhynchus baudinii (Baudin's Black Cockatoo) or C. latirostris (Carnaby's Black Cockatoo).
- Banksia nivea
- Banksia nivea subsp. Morangup (M. PieroniMargaret PieroniMargaret Pieroni is a Western Australian botanical artist and botanist who has authored, co-authored and/or illustrated numerous books on Australian botany, including Brush with Gondwana: Botanical Artists Group of Western Australia , The Dryandras , Verticordia: the turner of hearts , Discovering...
94/2) - Banksia nivea subsp. nivea
- Banksia nivea subsp. uliginosa (A.S.George) A.R.Mast & K.R.Thiele
- Banksia nivea subsp. Morangup (M. Pieroni