Banksia fraseri
Encyclopedia
Banksia fraseri is a shrub
endemic to Western Australia
. It was known as Dryandra fraseri until 2007, when all Dryandra species were transferred to Banksia
by Austin Mast
and Kevin Thiele
.
ous shrub in B. fraseri var. crebra and B. fraseri var. effusa, to an upright non-lignotuberous shrub up to six metre high in B. fraseri var. oxycedra. Young stems are covered in a mat of coarse hairs, but these are lost as the stems age. The leaves are from five to ten centimetres long, and eight to 40 millimetres wide; pinnatisect, with 4 to 18 narrow lobes on each side; on a petiole
up to three centimetres long.
Flowers occur in the dome-shaped head characteristic of B. ser. Dryandra. These occur at the end of branches or on short laterals, and consist of from 80 to 100 individual densely packed together and surrounded by a short involucre
of narrow, tapering bract
s. The hairless tips of these bracts are quite prominent; this is a distinctive characteristic of this species. As in all Proteaceae
, individual flowers consist of a tubular perianth
made up of four united tepal
s fused with the anthers, and one long wiry pistil. The pistil end is initially trapped inside the upper perianth parts, but breaks free at anthesis
. In B. fraseri, the perianth is 24–28 millimetres long, and pink to cream in colour; and the style 30–42 mm long and cream-coloured. The fruit is a woody follicle
firmly embedded in the woody base of the flower head, and usually containing two winged seeds. In this species each head may set an unusually large number of follicles.
during James Stirling
's 1827 expedition to explore the Swan River
in what is now Western Australia
. The species was described three years later in Robert Brown
's Supplementum primum Prodromi florae Novae Hollandiae
, and given the name Dryandra fraseri in Fraser's honour. In Brown's arrangement of Dryandra
, D. fraseri was placed in the subgenus Dryandra verae because it has a single seed separator
per follicle.
Brown's arrangement remained current until 1856, when Carl Meissner
published his revision
of the genus. Meissner retained D. fraseri in Brown's Dryandra verae (which had since been renamed D. sect. Eudryandra), and further placed it in a group of unspecified rank, which he named D. § Pectinatae.
The 1870 arrangement
of George Bentham
discarded Meissner's groups, which were defined in terms of leaf shape, and thus heterogenerous. He instead placed D. fraseri in the newly erected D. ser. Armatae
because of its tendency for flowers to occur terminal on a branch, and subtended by long floral leaves.
A synonym, Josephia fraseri, arises from Otto Kuntze
's 1891 transfer of the genus Dryandra (now Banksia ser. Dryandra) into Josephia, on the grounds that Josephia Knight
had priority over Dryandra R.Br.. This transfer was rejected.
In 1996, Alex George
published the first modern-day arrangement of Dryandra. He placed D. fraseri alone in a new series, Dryandra ser. Folliculosae, from the Latin
folliculosus ("follicle") and -osus ("abundance") in reference to the unusually high number of follicles per infructescence in this species. Three varieties were recognised, the autonym D. fraseri var. fraseri; D. fraseri var. ashbyi, a demotion of Brian Laurence Burtt
D. ashbyi; and a new variety, D. fraseri var. oxycedra. Since then George has published two further varieties, both in 2005: D. fraseri var. crebra and D. fraseri var. effusa.
The placement of D. fraseri in George's arrangement of Dryandra
, with 1999 and 2005 amendments, may be summarised as follows:
George's arrangement remained current until February 2007, when Austin Mast
and Kevin Thiele
transferred Dryandra into Banksia. They also published B. subg. Spathulatae
for the Banksia taxa having spoon-shaped cotyledon
s, thus redefining B. subg. Banksia
as comprising those that do not. They were not ready, however, to tender an infrageneric arrangement encompassing Dryandra, so as an interim measure they transferred Dryandra into Banksia at series
rank. This minimised the nomenclatural disruption of the transfer, but also caused George's rich infrageneric arrangement to be set aside. Thus under the interim arrangements implemented by Mast and Thiele, B. fraseri is placed in B. subg. Banksia
, ser. Dryandra.
Initially, Mast and Thiele overlooked the Dryandra taxa published by George in 2005, so that for a time D. fraseri var. crebra and D. fraseri var. effusa had no name under Banksia. This omission was rectified in December of that year.
and as far inland as Kellerberrin; thus it occurs throughout the province except for the south coast.
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...
. It was known as Dryandra fraseri 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...
.
Description
It has a highly variable habit, ranging from a very low, almost prostrate 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...
ous shrub in B. fraseri var. crebra and B. fraseri var. effusa, to an upright non-lignotuberous shrub up to six metre high in B. fraseri var. oxycedra. Young stems are covered in a mat of coarse hairs, but these are lost as the stems age. The leaves are from five to ten centimetres long, and eight to 40 millimetres wide; pinnatisect, with 4 to 18 narrow lobes on each side; on a petiole
Petiole (botany)
In botany, the petiole is the stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly surround the...
up to three centimetres long.
Flowers occur in the dome-shaped head characteristic of B. ser. Dryandra. These occur at the end of branches or on short laterals, and consist of from 80 to 100 individual densely packed together and surrounded by a short involucre
Involucre
Involucre may refer to* involucral bract, a bract, bract pair, or whorl of bracts surrounding a flower or inflorescence* a term sometimes misused for the cupule surrounding developing nuts in the Fagaceae...
of narrow, tapering bract
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
s. The hairless tips of these bracts are quite prominent; this is a distinctive characteristic of this species. As in all Proteaceae
Proteaceae
Proteaceae is a family of flowering plants distributed in the Southern Hemisphere. The family comprises about 80 genera with about 1600 species. Together with the Platanaceae and Nelumbonaceae they make up the order Proteales. Well known genera include Protea, Banksia, Embothrium, Grevillea,...
, individual flowers consist of a tubular perianth
Perianth
The term perianth has two similar but separate meanings in botany:* In flowering plants, the perianth are the outer, sterile whorls of a flower...
made up of four united tepal
Tepal
Tepals are elements of the perianth, or outer part of a flower, which include the petals or sepals. The term tepal is more often applied specifically when all segments of the perianth are of similar shape and color, or undifferentiated, which is called perigone...
s fused with the anthers, and one long wiry pistil. The pistil end is initially trapped inside the upper perianth parts, but breaks free at anthesis
Anthesis
Anthesis is the period during which a flower is fully open and functional. It may also refer to the onset of that period.The onset of anthesis is spectacular in some species. In Banksia species, for example, anthesis involves the extension of the style far beyond the upper perianth parts...
. In B. fraseri, the perianth is 24–28 millimetres long, and pink to cream in colour; and the style 30–42 mm long and cream-coloured. The fruit is a woody follicle
Follicle (fruit)
In botany, a follicle is a dry unilocular many-seeded fruit formed from one carpel and dehiscing by the ventral suture in order to release seeds, such as in larkspur, magnolia, banksia, peony and milkweed....
firmly embedded in the woody base of the flower head, and usually containing two winged seeds. In this species each head may set an unusually large number of follicles.
Taxonomy
Specimens of B. fraseri were first collected by Charles FraserCharles Fraser (botanist)
Charles Fraser or Frazer was Colonial Botanist of New South Wales from 1821 to 1831. He collected and catalogued numerous Australian plant species, and participated in a number of exploring expeditions...
during James Stirling
James Stirling (Australian governor)
Admiral Sir James Stirling RN was a British naval officer and colonial administrator. His enthusiasm and persistence persuaded the British Government to establish the Swan River Colony and he became the first Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Western Australia...
's 1827 expedition to explore the Swan River
Swan River (Western Australia)
The Swan River estuary flows through the city of Perth, in the south west of Western Australia. Its lower reaches are relatively wide and deep, with few constrictions, while the upper reaches are usually quite narrow and shallow....
in what is now 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...
. The species was described three years later in 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...
's Supplementum primum Prodromi florae Novae Hollandiae
Supplementum Primum Prodromi Florae Novae Hollandiae
Supplementum primum Prodromi florae Novae Hollandiae is an 1830 supplement to Robert Brown's Prodromus florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen. It may be referred to by its standard botanical abbreviation Suppl. Prodr. Fl. Nov...
, and given the name Dryandra fraseri in Fraser's honour. In Brown's arrangement of Dryandra
Brown's taxonomic arrangement of Dryandra
Robert Brown's taxonomic arrangement of Dryandra was the first arrangement of what is now Banksia ser. Dryandra. His initial arrangement was published in 1810, and a further arrangement, including an infrageneric classification, followed in 1830...
, D. fraseri was placed in the subgenus Dryandra verae because it has a single seed separator
Seed separator
A seed separator is a structure found in the follicles of some Proteaceae. These follicles typically contain two seeds, with a seed separator between them...
per follicle.
Brown's arrangement remained current until 1856, when Carl Meissner
Carl Meissner
Carl Daniel Friedrich Meissner was a Swiss botanist.Born in Bern, Switzerland on 1 November 1800, he was christened Meisner but later changed the spelling of his name to Meissner. For most of his 40 year career he was Professor of Botany at University of Basel...
published his revision
Meissner's taxonomic arrangement of Dryandra
Carl Meissner's taxonomic arrangement of Dryandra, now Banksia ser. Dryandra, was published in 1856 as part of his chapter on the Proteaceae in A. P. de Candolle's Prodromus systematis naturalis regni vegetabilis...
of the genus. Meissner retained D. fraseri in Brown's Dryandra verae (which had since been renamed D. sect. Eudryandra), and further placed it in a group of unspecified rank, which he named D. § Pectinatae.
The 1870 arrangement
Bentham's taxonomic arrangement of Dryandra
George Bentham's taxonomic arrangement of Dryandra was published in 1870, in Volume 5 of Bentham's Flora Australiensis...
of George Bentham
George Bentham
George Bentham CMG FRS was an English botanist, characterized by Duane Isely as "the premier systematic botanist of the nineteenth century".- Formative years :...
discarded Meissner's groups, which were defined in terms of leaf shape, and thus heterogenerous. He instead placed D. fraseri in the newly erected D. ser. Armatae
Dryandra ser. Armatae
Dryandra ser. Armatae is an obsolete series within the former genus Dryandra . It was first published by George Bentham in 1870, and was given a new circumscription by Alex George in 1996, but was ultimately discarded in 2007 when Austin Mast and Kevin Thiele sunk Dryandra into Banksia.-According...
because of its tendency for flowers to occur terminal on a branch, and subtended by long floral leaves.
A synonym, Josephia fraseri, arises from Otto Kuntze
Otto Kuntze
Otto Carl Ernst Kuntze was a German botanist.-Biography:Otto Kuntze was born in Leipzig.An apothecary in his early career, he published an essay entitled Pocket Fauna of Leipzig. Between 1863 and...
's 1891 transfer of the genus Dryandra (now Banksia ser. Dryandra) into Josephia, on the grounds that Josephia Knight
Joseph Knight (horticulturist)
Joseph Knight , gardener to George Hibbert, was one of the first people in England to successfully propagate Proteaceae...
had priority over Dryandra R.Br.. This transfer was rejected.
In 1996, Alex George
Alex George
Alexander Segger George is a Western Australian botanist. He is the authority on the plant genera Banksia and Dryandra...
published the first modern-day arrangement of Dryandra. He placed D. fraseri alone in a new series, Dryandra ser. Folliculosae, from the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
folliculosus ("follicle") and -osus ("abundance") in reference to the unusually high number of follicles per infructescence in this species. Three varieties were recognised, the autonym D. fraseri var. fraseri; D. fraseri var. ashbyi, a demotion of Brian Laurence Burtt
Brian Laurence Burtt
Brian Laurence Burtt , was an English botanist and taxonomist who is noted for his contributions to the family Gesneriaceae...
D. ashbyi; and a new variety, D. fraseri var. oxycedra. Since then George has published two further varieties, both in 2005: D. fraseri var. crebra and D. fraseri var. effusa.
The placement of D. fraseri in George's arrangement of Dryandra
George's taxonomic arrangement of Dryandra
Alex George's taxonomic arrangement of Dryandra was the first modern-day arrangement of that taxon. First published in Nuytsia in 1996, it superseded the arrangement of George Bentham, which had stood for over a hundred years; it would later form the basis for George's 1999 treatment of Dryandra...
, with 1999 and 2005 amendments, may be summarised as follows:
- Dryandra (now Banksia ser. Dryandra)
- D. subg. DryandraDryandra subg. DryandraDryandra subg. Dryandra is an obsolete series within the former genus Dryandra . It was first published at sectional rank as Dryandra verae in 1830, before being renamed Eudryandra in 1847, the replaced by the autonym at subgenus rank in 1996...
- D. ser. FloribundaeDryandra ser. FloribundaeDryandra ser. Floribundae is an obsolete series within the former genus Dryandra . It was first published by George Bentham in 1870, and was given a new circumscription by Alex George in 1996, but was ultimately discarded in 2007 when Austin Mast and Kevin Thiele sunk Dryandra into...
(1 species, 4 varieties) - D. ser. ArmataeDryandra ser. ArmataeDryandra ser. Armatae is an obsolete series within the former genus Dryandra . It was first published by George Bentham in 1870, and was given a new circumscription by Alex George in 1996, but was ultimately discarded in 2007 when Austin Mast and Kevin Thiele sunk Dryandra into Banksia.-According...
(21 species, 7 subspecies, 4 varieties) - D. ser. Marginatae (1 species)
- D. ser. Folliculosae
- D. fraseri (now Banksia fraseri)
- D. fraseri var. fraseri (now Banksia fraseri var. fraseriBanksia fraseri var. fraseriBanksia fraseri var. fraseri is a variety of Banksia fraseri. As an autonym, it is defined as encompassing the type material of the species. It was known as Dryandra fraseri var. fraseri until 2007, when Austin Mast and Kevin Thiele sunk all Dryandra into Banksia. As with other members of Banksia ser...
) - D. fraseri var. ashbyi (now Banksia fraseri var. ashbyi)
- D. fraseri var. oxycedra (now Banksia fraseri var. oxycedra)
- D. fraseri var. crebra (now Banksia fraseri var. crebra)
- D. fraseri var. effusa (now Banksia fraseri var. effusa)
- D. fraseri var. fraseri (now Banksia fraseri var. fraseri
- D. fraseri (now Banksia fraseri)
- D. ser. Acrodontae (4 species, 2 varieties)
- D. ser. CapitellataeDryandra ser. CapitellataeDryandra ser. Capitellatae is an obsolete series within the former genus Dryandra . It was published by Alex George in 1996, but discarded in 2007 when Austin Mast and Kevin Thiele sank Dryandra into Banksia.-Publication:George published the series in his 1996 "New taxa and a new infrageneric...
(2 species, 2 subspecies) - D. ser. IlicinaeDryandra ser. IlicinaeDryandra ser. Ilicinae is an obsolete series within the former genus Dryandra . It was first published by Carl Meissner in 1856, but was discarded by George Bentham in 1870...
(3 species, 2 varieties) - D. ser. Dryandra (3 species, 2 subspecies)
- D. ser. Foliosae (3 species, 2 subspecies)
- D. ser. Decurrentes (1 species)
- D. ser. Tenuifoliae (2 species, 2 varieties)
- D. ser. Runcinatae (4 species, 7 subspecies)
- D. ser. Triangulares (3 species, 3 subspecies)
- D. ser. AphragmaDryandra ser. AphragmaDryandra ser. Aphragma is an obsolete series within the former genus Dryandra . It was first published at sectional rank by Robert Brown in 1830, and was retained at that rank until 1999, when Alex George demoted it to a series...
(9 species, 3 subspecies) - D. ser. Ionthocarpae (1 species, 2 subspecies)
- D. ser. Inusitatae (1 species)
- D. ser. Subulatae (1 species)
- D. ser. Gymnocephalae (11 species, 4 subspecies, 2 varieties)
- D. ser. PlumosaeDryandra ser. PlumosaeDryandra ser. Plumosae is an obsolete series within the former genus Dryandra . It was published by Alex George in 1996, but discarded in 2007 when Austin Mast and Kevin Thiele sank Dryandra into Banksia....
(3 species, 2 subspecies) - D. ser. Concinnae (3 species)
- D. ser. Obvallatae (7 species, 2 varieties)
- D. ser. Pectinatae (1 species)
- D. ser. Acuminatae (1 species)
- D. ser. NiveaeDryandra ser. NiveaeDryandra ser. Niveae is an obsolete series within the former genus Dryandra . It was first published by George Bentham in 1870, and was given a new circumscription by Alex George in 1996, but was ultimately discarded in 2007 when Austin Mast and Kevin Thiele sunk Dryandra into Banksia.-According to...
- D. ser. Floribundae
- D. subg. HemiclidiaDryandra subg. HemiclidiaDryandra subg. Hemiclidia is an obsolete plant taxon that encompassed material that is now included in Banksia. Published at genus rank as Hemiclidia by Robert Brown in 1830, it was set aside by George Bentham in 1870, but reinstated at subgenus rank by Alex George in 1996...
(2 species) - D. subg. DiplophragmaDryandra subg. DiplophragmaDryandra subg. Diplophragma is an obsolete subgenus within the former genus Dryandra . It was first published by Robert Brown in 1830, but was discarded by George Bentham in 1870...
(1 species)
- D. subg. Dryandra
George's arrangement remained current until February 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 Dryandra into Banksia. They also published B. subg. Spathulatae
Banksia subg. Spathulatae
Banksia subg. Spathulatae is a valid botanic name for a subgenus of Banksia. It was published in 2007 by Austin Mast and Kevin Thiele, and defined as containing all those Banksia species having spathulate cotyledons...
for the Banksia taxa having spoon-shaped cotyledon
Cotyledon
A cotyledon , is a significant part of the embryo within the seed of a plant. Upon germination, the cotyledon may become the embryonic first leaves of a seedling. The number of cotyledons present is one characteristic used by botanists to classify the flowering plants...
s, thus redefining B. subg. Banksia
Banksia subg. Banksia
Banksia 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...
as comprising those that do not. They were not ready, however, to tender an infrageneric arrangement encompassing Dryandra, so as an interim measure they transferred Dryandra into Banksia at series
Series (botany)
Series is a low-level taxonomic rank below that of section but above that of species.In botany, a series is a subdivision of a genus...
rank. This minimised the nomenclatural disruption of the transfer, but also caused George's rich infrageneric arrangement to be set aside. Thus under the interim arrangements implemented by Mast and Thiele, B. fraseri is placed in B. subg. Banksia
Banksia subg. Banksia
Banksia 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...
, ser. Dryandra.
Initially, Mast and Thiele overlooked the Dryandra taxa published by George in 2005, so that for a time D. fraseri var. crebra and D. fraseri var. effusa had no name under Banksia. This omission was rectified in December of that year.
Distribution and habitat
B. fraseri is widely distributed in the Southwest Botanical Province of Western Australia. It ranges from Kalbarri in the north, south to CranbrookCranbrook, Western Australia
Cranbrook is a small town in the Great Southern region of Western Australia between Katanning, Kojonup and Mount Barker, situated 320km south of Perth. It is billed as "The Gateway to the Stirlings", referring to the nearby Stirling Range National Park...
and as far inland as Kellerberrin; thus it occurs throughout the province except for the south coast.