Banksia canei
| Mountain banksia | |
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| Banksia canei inflorescence | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| Order: | Proteales |
| Family: | Proteaceae |
| Genus: | Banksia |
| Species: | B. canei |
| Binomial name | |
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Banksia canei J.H.Willis |
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The mountain banksia (Banksia canei) is a species of shrub in the plant genus Banksia. It occurs in subalpine areas of the Great Dividing Range between Melbourne and Canberra in southeastern Australia. Although no subspecies are recognised, four topodemes (geographically isolated populations) have been described, as there is significant variation in the shape of both adult and juvenile leaves between populations. Although superficially resembling B. marginata, it is more closely related to another subalpine species, B. saxicola.
Banksia canei is generally encountered as a many-branched shrub that grows up to 3 m (9.8 ft) high, with narrow leaves and the yellow inflorescences (flower spikes) appearing from late summer to early winter. The old flowers fall off the spikes, and up to 150 finely furred follicles develop, which remain closed until burnt in a bushfire. Each follicle bears two winged seeds. Response to fire is poorly known, although it is thought to regenerate by seed. Birds such as the yellow-tufted honeyeater and various insects forage among the flower spikes. It is frost tolerant in cultivation, but copes less well with aridity or humidity, and is often short-lived in gardens. One cultivar, Banksia 'Celia Rosser', was registered in 1978, but has subsequently vanished.
Banksia canei grows as a woody shrub to 3 m (9.8 ft) in height, usually with many branches. Its bark is smooth with horizontal lenticels, initially reddish-brown before fading to grey tones. The stiff leaves are arranged alternately along the stems and show significant variation in shape and size. Adult leaves are linear or narrowly in shape, and generally measure 2–5 cm (0.79–1.97 in), though some populations have leaves as short as 1 cm (0.39 in) or as long as 10 cm (3.9 in). The juvenile leaves are generally larger and wider with margins. New growth is seen mainly from February to April. The complex flower spikes, known as inflorescences, appear between December and May, peaking over February to April. They arise from nodes of 1–3-year-old branchlets or can be terminal. Cylindrical in shape, they are composed of a central woody spike, from which a large number of compact floral units arise perpendicularly to it. They are generally 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) high and 3–5 cm (1.2–2.0 in) wide, but some do reach 15 cm (5.9 in) high. Mauve-tinted in bud, they generally open to become pale yellow in colour. As with most banksias, anthesis is ; the opening of the individual buds proceeds up the flower spike from the base to the top. The flower limbs may be pale grey or blue-tinged, while the styles are yellow. As the inflorescences age, the old flowers fall away, leaving a naked spike. Up to 150 follicles develop, each covered in short fine fur which is initially pale brown but fades to green-grey and partly wears away. More or less elliptic in shape, they measure 12–18 mm (0.47–0.71 in) long, 3–8 mm (0.12–0.31 in) high, and 4–9 mm (0.16–0.35 in) wide, and mostly remain closed until burnt by fire, although a few may open after several years. They contain two fertile seeds each, between which lies a woody dark brown separator of similar shape to the seeds. Measuring 13–18 mm (0.5–0.7 in) in length, the seed is obovate, and composed of a dark brown 8–11 mm (0.3–0.4 in)-wide membranous 'wing' and crescent-shaped () seed proper which measures 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long by 2.5–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide. The seed surface can be smooth or covered in tiny ridges, and often glistens. The resulting seedling first grows two obovate cotyledon leaves, which may remain for several months as several more leaves appear.
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