The Banksia Seed Pod!
Australia’s native treasure!
"
Banksia is a genus of plants that occur in
CINDY DROZDA!
Australia and Papua New Guinea
numbering 75 named species. Of these, 61
are found in Western Australia, including the
Banksia Grandis, the species that generates
the large seed pods."
"
The Banksia take their name from Sir
Joseph Banks, the botanist who was on
Captain Cook’s ship “Endeavour” that
arrived in Australia in 1770."
"
It was from a subsequent trip to Australia
that specimens were gathered resulting in
seeds being grown in European
glasshouses and 2 new species being
named. One of these was the Banksia
Grandis named by Carl Wildenow in
1798. "
"
Although it’s the size of the seed pod
that makes it attractive to artists, the
name probably refers to the tree’s
large leaf size."
"
Banksias in general occur as plants
ranging from prostrate shrubs, to larger
bushes, and trees of around 50 feet in
height. The Banksias Grandis is
restricted to a natural occurrence in only
the southwest corner of Western
Australia. More specifically, the coastal
plain and Darling plateau from a point
some distance north of Perth extending
over an area about 650 miles southwards
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