Banksia viscida
Encyclopedia
Banksia viscida, commonly known as Sticky Dryandra, is a small shrub
known only from four laterite hills in semi-arid inland Western Australia
. Known until recently as Dryandra viscida, it is thought to be rare but not threatened.
, and specimens collected from west of Digger Rocks by Stephen Hopper
. The type specimen was collected by Alex George
from Hatter Hill on 30 July 1969. For some time prior to formal publication it was recognised as a new species, and was referred to by the interim name Dryandra sp. 16 (A.S.George 9446).
George published a formal description of the species in 1996 in Nuytsia
10(3). He placed it in the genus Dryandra
, subgenus Dryandra, series Gymnocephalae, and gave it the specific epithet "viscida" from the Latin
viscidus ("sticky"), in reference to its sticky involucral bracts. Thus its full name was, for a time, Dryandra viscida A.S.George.
Early in 2007, Austin Mast
and Kevin Thiele
transferred all Dryandra taxa to Banksia. The current name for this species is therefore Banksia viscida (A.S.George) A.R.Mast & K.R.Thiele. As an interim measure, Mast and Thiele placed all but one Dryandra taxon in Banksia ser. Dryandra.
B. viscida is known only from four lateritic
rises on the border of the Coolgardie
and Mallee
biogeographic
regions; these are Digger Rocks, Middle Ironcap, South Ironcap and Hatter Hill. It occurs there in gravelly soil amongst thick scrub. The area is hot and dry, with mean annual rainfall of 300 to 350 millimetres, and up to 90 days above 30°C.
, B. viscida has proteoid root
s, roots with dense clusters of short lateral rootlets that form a mat in the soil just below the leaf litter. These enhance solubilisation of nutrients, thus allowing nutrient uptake in low-nutrient soils such as the phosphorus
-deficient native soils of Australia. It lacks a lignotuber, so is killed by bushfire. However it is adapted to release its seed following a fire, so populations regenerate rapidly.
It has been given a rating of "Priority Three - Poorly Known Taxa" on Western Australia's Department of Environment and Conservation's Declared Rare and Priority Flora List, meaning that it appears to be rare but not threatened, but further surveys are required.
, but attempts to grow it in the sandy soils of Perth
have failed. Tony Cavanagh and Margaret Pieroni
suggest that as a compact shrub with attractive foliage it would be best suited to a small garden. It requires warm, dry weather with near full sun, and heavy well drained soils. It is hardy to drought and frost.
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...
known only from four laterite hills in semi-arid inland 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...
. Known until recently as Dryandra viscida, it is thought to be rare but not threatened.
Description
B. viscida grows as a small, dense, rounded shrub no more than one metre high. Its leaves are 15 to 35 centimetres long and five to ten millimetres wide; they are pinnatifid, with 25 to 75 triangular lobes on each side. Flowers are golden yellow, and occur in dome-shaped heads of 40 to 55 flowers, up to four centimetres across. After flowering, the heads may develop up to several follicles each, which contain two or sometimes one seed.Taxonomy
Early collections of this species include specimens collected from South Ironcap by Keith Alcock and John Stanley BeardJohn Stanley Beard
John Stanley Beard was a British-born forester and ecologist who resided in Australia. While working with the Forestry Division in Trinidad and Tobago during the 1940s, Beard developed a system of forest classification for Tropical America and described the forests of Trinidad, Tobago, and the...
, and specimens collected from west of Digger Rocks by Stephen Hopper
Stephen Hopper
Stephen Donald Hopper is a Western Australian botanist, specialising in conservation biology and vascular plants. He has written eight books, and has over 200 publications to his name. He was Director of Kings Park in Perth for seven years, and CEO of the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority for five...
. The type specimen was collected by Alex George
Alex George
Alexander Segger George is a Western Australian botanist. He is the authority on the plant genera Banksia and Dryandra...
from Hatter Hill on 30 July 1969. For some time prior to formal publication it was recognised as a new species, and was referred to by the interim name Dryandra sp. 16 (A.S.George 9446).
George published a formal description of the species in 1996 in Nuytsia
Nuytsia (journal)
Nuytsia is a peer-reviewed journal published by the Western Australian Herbarium. It publishes papers on systematic botany, giving preference to papers related to the flora of Western Australia. Nearly twenty percent of Western Australia's plant taxa have been published in Nuytsia. First published...
10(3). He placed it in the 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...
, subgenus Dryandra, series Gymnocephalae, and gave it the specific epithet "viscida" 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...
viscidus ("sticky"), in reference to its sticky involucral bracts. Thus its full name was, for a time, Dryandra viscida A.S.George.
Early in 2007, 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 taxa to Banksia. The current name for this species is therefore Banksia viscida (A.S.George) A.R.Mast & K.R.Thiele. As an interim measure, Mast and Thiele placed all but one Dryandra taxon in Banksia ser. Dryandra.
Distribution and habitat
Laterite
Laterites are soil types rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are rusty-red because of iron oxides. They develop by intensive and long-lasting weathering of the underlying parent rock...
rises on the border of the Coolgardie
Coolgardie (biogeographic region)
Coolgardie is an Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia region and a World Wildlife Fund ecoregion consisting of an area of low hills and plains of infertile sandy soil in Western Australia. -Location and description:...
and Mallee
Mallee (biogeographic region)
Mallee, also known as Roe Botanical District, is a biogeographic region in southern Western Australia. Located between the Esperance Plains, Avon Wheatbelt and Coolgardie regions, it has a low, gently undulating topography, a semi-arid mediterranean climate, and extensive Eucalyptus mallee...
biogeographic
Biogeography
Biogeography is the study of the distribution of species , organisms, and ecosystems in space and through geological time. Organisms and biological communities vary in a highly regular fashion along geographic gradients of latitude, elevation, isolation and habitat area...
regions; these are Digger Rocks, Middle Ironcap, South Ironcap and Hatter Hill. It occurs there in gravelly soil amongst thick scrub. The area is hot and dry, with mean annual rainfall of 300 to 350 millimetres, and up to 90 days above 30°C.
Ecology
Like most other ProteaceaeProteaceae
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,...
, B. viscida has proteoid root
Proteoid root
Proteoid roots, also known as cluster roots, are plant roots that form clusters of closely spaced short lateral rootlets. They may form a two to five centimetre thick mat just beneath the leaf litter. They enhance nutrient uptake, possibly by chemically modifying the soil environment to improve...
s, roots with dense clusters of short lateral rootlets that form a mat in the soil just below the leaf litter. These enhance solubilisation of nutrients, thus allowing nutrient uptake in low-nutrient soils such as the phosphorus
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is the chemical element that has the symbol P and atomic number 15. A multivalent nonmetal of the nitrogen group, phosphorus as a mineral is almost always present in its maximally oxidized state, as inorganic phosphate rocks...
-deficient native soils of Australia. It lacks a lignotuber, so is killed by bushfire. However it is adapted to release its seed following a fire, so populations regenerate rapidly.
It has been given a rating of "Priority Three - Poorly Known Taxa" on Western Australia's Department of Environment and Conservation's Declared Rare and Priority Flora List, meaning that it appears to be rare but not threatened, but further surveys are required.
Cultivation
The species is little known in cultivation. It germinates well, but is difficult to establish and slow to grow. It has been grown successfully in loamy soil in northern VictoriaVictoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, but attempts to grow it in the sandy soils of Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
have failed. Tony Cavanagh and Margaret Pieroni
Margaret Pieroni
Margaret 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...
suggest that as a compact shrub with attractive foliage it would be best suited to a small garden. It requires warm, dry weather with near full sun, and heavy well drained soils. It is hardy to drought and frost.