izzyp

By izzyp

Matchstick banksia

...another of our beautiful wildflowers. This one is on the endangered list. It's real name is Banksia cuneata and it is from the Proteaceae family. Endemic to southwest Western Australia, it grows into a shrub or small tree with very prickly foliage and pink and cream flowers.

info from Wikipedia

Its common name Matchstick Banksia arises from the blooms in late bud, the individual buds of which resemble matchsticks. The species is pollinated by honeyeaters.
This Banksia is classified as endangered, surviving in fragments of remnant bushland in a region which has been 93% cleared for agriculture. As Banksia cuneata is killed by fire and regenerates from seed, 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. Banksia cuneata is rarely cultivated, and its prickly foliage limits its utility in the cut flower industry.

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