Banksia epica
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The plant species Banksia epica belongs to the genus Banksia in the silver tree family (Proteaceae). It grows as a shrub on the south coast of the Australian state of Western Australia . Only two isolated occurrences are known, both in the western section of the Great Australian Bight . The populations grow on dunes made of quartz sand , above a cliff coast , in a heathland .
Although Edward John Eyre probably saw this type of Banksia in 1841, it was not until 1973 that it was first collected. In 1988, she was as a separate species described . After that, not much was published about this species, so that knowledge of ecological aspects or its suitability as an ornamental plant is limited. Together with the closely related, more famous and frequently cultivated Banksia media will within the genus Banksia in the series Cyrtostylis classified.
description
Banksia epica grows as a densely branched, spreading shrub with heights of 0.3 to 3.5 meters. The bark is gray and cracked. The alternate and almost whorled at the branch tips, short-stalked leaves have a dark green color, they are spatulate with a length of 15 to 50 millimeters and a width of 6 to 15 millimeters. The leaf margin is serrated. The petiole is 2 to 8 millimeters long.
The flowers are - characteristic of Banksia - grouped in a piston-shaped inflorescence , it is terminal on the branches. It measures 9 to 17 centimeters in length with a diameter of about 6 centimeters. Two flowers each stand in pairs, several hundred of these pairs of flowers are arranged in a spiral on the woody inflorescence axis. The flowers are yellow or cream-colored, the perianth consists of four fused into a tube bloom cladding . The long, thin pen , as shown in this section of the genus Banksia usual, just not curved and hook-shaped. While still in the bud, the pollen is dumped on a certain gray-green or brownish-colored area of the style, similar to Banksia robur . When the flower buds open, the stylus emerges with the stigma and the pollen.
Up to 50 follicles develop on the woody inflorescence axis . Parts of the flowers stick for a long time and give the fruit cluster the appearance of a hairy cone. The beautiful purple colored follicles are 13 to 20 millimeters long and 7 to 10 millimeters high and 6 to 9 millimeters wide. The seeds are 2.2 to 2.4 inches long.
Banksia epica looks very similar to the closely related Banksia media . The distinguishing features of Banksia epica are the larger flowers and slightly shorter leaves. The dried flower remains on the fruit cluster are rolled up and point upwards, while they are straight and downwards in Banksia media .
Botanical history
The first European to see Banksia epica was likely Edward John Eyre , who was the first to explore the area. On May 1, 1841, he reported "crippled specimens" of the genus Banksia while he was traveling in the western part of the Great Australian Bight:
“One circumstance in our route to-day cheered me greatly, and led me shortly to expect some important and decisive change in the character and formation of the country. It was the appearance for the first time of the Banksia, a shrub which I had never before found to the westward of Spencer's Gulf, but which I knew to abound in the vicinity of King George's Sound , and that description of country generally. Those only who have looked out with the eagerness and anxiety of a person in my situation, to note any change in the vegetation or physical appearance of a country, can appreciate the degree of satisfaction with which I recognized and welcomed the first appearance of the Banksia . Isolated as it was amidst the scrub, and insignificant as the stunted specimens were that I first met with, they led to an inference that I could not be mistaken in, and added, in a tenfold degree, to the interest and expectation with which every mile of our route had now become invested. "
“One circumstance particularly pleased me today on our trip and gave me hope that an important and decisive change in the character of the landscape would be soon. This was the first appearance of the Banksia, a shrub I had never found west of the Spencer Gulf , but which I knew was common near King George Sound and similar areas. Only someone who looked upon every change in the vegetation and shape of the land with the same anxious expectation as I did then can measure the degree of joy when I recognized and welcomed the first specimens of the Banksia. Occasionally sticking out of low bushes, crippled and inconspicuous as the first bushes I encountered, they led me to a safe conclusion and increased tenfold the attention and hope with which we now viewed every mile of our route. "
It is believed that Eyre was sailing roughly level with the sandy stretches of coast of Toolinna Bay when he wrote this. B. epica and B. media are the only Banksia species that occur there, both correspond in shape and habitat to Eyre's description. Since he did not collect any specimens, it is no longer possible to say exactly which of the two species he saw.
The first collection for a herbarium was only made in October 1973. At that time, Ernest Charles Nelson was touring Toolinna Bay to collect plants for taxonomic processing of the genus Adenanthos . He was also interested in other species that have a disjoint distribution there and eventually collected a variety of different plant species. On October 22nd, he collected a withered specimen of B. epica , but incorrectly identified it as B. media and deposited it under this name in the Herbarium in Canberra .
Two volunteers on The Banksia Atlas project, John and Lalage Falconer from Esperance , came to the conclusion in 1985 that there were three different types of Banksia in the Point Culver area , not just two. In 1986 they traveled to this area again and collected leaves and old inflorescences of the plants, which they believed to be a species not yet described . The plant parts actually indicated an unknown species, but were not sufficient for a scientific publication. In May of the following year, John Falconer drove over 2,000 kilometers on gravel roads to get fresh flowers and fruits of the unknown plant species.
Alexander Segger George prepared the scientific description of the species. During his studies he came to the realization that the plants Nelson collected at Toolinna Bay also belong to this species. Since he was not aware of any specimens of Banksia media from the area around Toolinna Bay , he concluded that only Banksia epica was found there and that was why Eyre had seen Banksia epica bushes in 1841 . The description of the species was published in 1988. George chose the name epica in reference to the two "epic" journeys of Eyre and Falconer. The full scientific name is Banksia epica A.S. George Later it was found that both species, Banksia epica and Banksia media , occur in Toolinna Bay.
Systematics
George placed Banksia epica in the subgenus Banksia subg. Banksia , because the inflorescence is typical for this subgenus; in the section Banksia sect. Banksia because the stylus is straight; and there in the series Banksia ser. Cyrtostylis due to the narrow flowers. He suspected Banksia praemorsa and Banksia media to be closely related species ; these two have shorter flowers and the part of the style that carries pollen is smaller than that of Banksia epica . Banksia praemorsa also has hairless petals, Banksia media has larger, more wavy leaves.
Kevin Richard Thiele and Pauline Yvonne Ladiges published a cladistic study of morphological features of the genus Banksia in 1996 . While taking over the subgenera and most of the series from George, they rearranged his division into sections. The Cyrtostylis series was recognized as polyphyletic , as six of the fourteen species it contained appeared scattered in the cladogram . The remaining eight - including Banksia epica - formed a clade that could be further divided into two groups.
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Thiele and Ladiges gave the two subgroups the rank of a series. The species of the first subgroup they continued to put in the Cyrtostylis series , for the second subgroup they made the Ochraceae series . Thiele and Ladiges placed Banksia epica with the three species of their clade in the subgenus Banksia , Cyrtostylis series . George rejected the classification of the two in 1999 in his genus revision and defined the Ochraceae series with 13 species much further.
By Austin Mast his cladistic studies have been published since 1998 results, based on DNA base sequences from the Subtribus Banksiinae. The resulting relationships do not correspond to the earlier taxonomic classifications. With regard to Banksia epica , Mast's results confirm the assumptions of Thiele and Ladiges. At Mast, too, Banksia epica can be found in a no further hierarchically structured clade, which corresponds exactly to the Cyrtostylis series by Thiele and Ladiges.
distribution and habitat
Of Banksia epica only two populations are known. They are located in the eastern part of the Esperance Plains in southwestern Australia, near the western end of the Great Australian Bight . The larger population grows approximately 30 kilometers west of Point Culver, with an estimated 2000 plants in 1989. A smaller population is located about 70 kilometers further east on Toolinna Bay, with an estimated 350 plants in 1991. This population represents the eastern limit of the range of the Banksia species growing in southwestern Australia ; only 900 kilometers to the east there are other Banksia species.
At both locations, Banksia epica grows in a heathland in dunes above a cliff, in white, deep quartz sand. The species occurs together with Banksia media , Banksia praemorsa also grows at Point Culver . The sand at Toolinna Bay is slightly alkaline; Banksia epica and Banksia media are the only Banksia species that grow in alkaline soil.
The quartz sand dunes above the cliff coast at both locations are unusual topographical formations; almost all soil types in the area are calcareous. Since Banksia species do not occur on calcareous soils, and the seeds are not spread over long distances, the two populations of Banksia epica are probably isolated from each other. Nelson theorized that there used to be a continuous strip of quartz sand along the coast , providing a larger and more cohesive habitat for Banksia epica . Due to a rise in sea level , only the isolated, higher-lying dunes remained as suitable locations. The fact that the two populations are not noticeably different from each other suggests that isolation has not lasted very long, perhaps only since the end of the last Ice Age .
ecology
The two bird species, the white-eyed honeyeater ( Phylidonyris novaehollandiae ) and Acanthiza chrysorrhoa, were identified as pollinators of Banksia epica . No other pollinators have been identified, but the species has not been well studied and numerous other pollinators are known of other Banksia species. For example, in an investigation of the closely related Banksia media, various nectar-eating birds and marsupials were found that carried pollen of this species. Insect pollination and self-pollination also played a role in seed formation.
Like most of the silver tree plants (Proteaceae), Banksia epica forms proteoid roots , roots with dense, short side roots that form a felt in the top soil layer, just below the litter. They allow an improved uptake of nutrients in poor soils. In the event of a fire, the plant has no underground reserve organs that could sprout afterwards. However, as with many Banksia species, the seeds survive a fire and are then released. Banksia epica is very susceptible to damage from the fungus Phytophthora cinnamomi .
Because so few locations and specimens are known, Banksia epica has been classified as "Urgency level two - little studied species" by the Ministry of the Environment of the state of Western Australia ( Priority Two - Poorly Known Taxa within the rating system Conservation Codes for Western Australian Flora ). In the ROTAP rating system of CSIRO , the species is classified as “2RC”, which means that it is rare, with a range of less than 100 km, but not directly threatened. A threat to the species is not assumed because both locations are in the Nuytsland Nature Reserve, are undisturbed and healthy. Since the surrounding area is not well developed and investigated, further, unknown locations are possible.
Culture
Banksia epica has not long been in horticultural culture. One of the first to cultivate the species was Kevin Collins of Banksia Farm in Albany . In loamy to sandy gravelly soil, it showed good tolerance for alkaline soil. The Canberra Botanical Garden has also successfully cultivated the species. Seeds were sown in 1996, the plants could be planted in 1997. Seedlings that were planted in places without good water drainage died, while others in well-drained locations reached a height of one meter and bloomed profusely by 2002.
In the absence of information specific to Banksia epica , George recommends that the culture be based on the similar species Banksia media and Banksia praemorsa . Both require a sunny location in well-drained soil, they only tolerate a slight pruning not beyond the leafy parts of the shoot. The horticultural propagation takes place via seeds or cuttings.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Kevin Collins: Banksia in horticulture . In: Australian Plants . tape 21 , no. 173 . Association of Societies for Growing Australian Plants, 2002, ISSN 0005-0008 , p. 379-383 .
- ↑ a b c Alex S. George: Banksia. in: Flora of Australia. Edited by Annette Wilson. Vol. 17B. Proteaceae 3. Hakea to Dryandra. Australian Biological Resources Study. CSIRO Publishing, Canberra 1999, pp. 175-251. ISBN 0-643-06454-0
- ^ A b c Anne Taylor, Stephen Hopper: The Banksia Atlas . In: Australian Flora and Fauna Series . tape 8 . Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra 1988. ISBN 0-644-07124-9
- ↑ a b c d Alex S. George: New taxa and notes on Banksia Lf (Proteaceae) . In: Nuytsia . tape 6 , no. 3 , 1988, ISSN 0085-4417 , pp. 309-317 .
- ^ Edward John Eyre: Journals of Expeditions of Discovery into Central Australia . T. and W. Boone, London 1845.
- ^ A b c Ernest Charles Nelson: Disjunct plant distributions on the south-western Nullarbor Plain, Western Australia . In: Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia . tape 57 , no. 4 , 1974, ISSN 0035-922X , p. 105-117 .
- ↑ Banksia epica ASGeorge. In: Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Center for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, accessed April 30, 2008 .
- ^ A b Kevin Thiele, Pauline Y. Ladiges: A cladistic analysis of Banksia (Proteaceae) . In: Australian Systematic Botany . tape 9 , no. 5 , 1996, ISSN 1030-1887 , pp. 661-733 , doi : 10.1071 / SB9960661 .
- ↑ Austin R. Mast: Molecular systematics of subtribe Banksiinae ( Banksia and Dryandra ; Proteaceae) based on cpDNA and nrDNA sequence data: implications for taxonomy and biogeography . In: Australian Systematic Botany . tape 11 , 1998, ISSN 1030-1887 , pp. 321-342 , doi : 10.1071 / SB97026 .
- ↑ Austin R. Mast, Thomas J. Givnish: Historical biogeography and the origin of stomatal distributions in Banksia and Dryandra (Proteaceae) based on their cpDNA phylogeny . In: American Journal of Botany . tape 89 , no. 8 , 2002, ISSN 0002-9122 , p. 1311-1323 ( amjbot.org ).
- ↑ Austin R. Mast, Eric H. Jones, Shawn P. Havery: An assessment of old and new DNA sequence evidence for the paraphyly of Banksia with respect to Dryandra (Proteaceae) . In: Australian Systematic Botany . tape 18 , no. 1 . CSIRO Publishing, 2005, ISSN 1030-1887 , pp. 75-88 , doi : 10.1071 / SB04015 .
- ^ Byron B. Lamont, SW Connell: Biogeography of Banksia in southwestern Australia . In: Journal of Biogeography . tape 23 , no. 3 , 1996, ISSN 0305-0270 , pp. 295-309 , doi : 10.1046 / j.1365-2699.1996.00027.x .
- ^ A b Gillian F. Craig, David J. Coates: Declared Rare and Poorly Known Flora in the Esperance District. B. Priority 2 taxa . Department of Conservation and Land Management, 2001, ISSN 0816-9713 ( naturebase.net [PDF]).
- ^ SJ Wooller, RD Wooller: Mixed mating in Banksia media . In: Australian Journal of Botany . tape 50 , 2002, ISSN 0067-1924 , p. 627-631 , doi : 10.1071 / BT01075 .
- ^ E. O'Gara: The responses of native australian plant species to Phytophthora cinnamomi . In: Management of Phytophthora cinnamomi for Biodiversity Conservation in Australia. Part 2, Appendix 4 . Australian Government Department of the Environment and Heritage, Canberra 2006 ( THE RESPONSES OF NATIVE AUSTRALIAN PLANT SPECIES TO Phytophthora cinnamomi ( Memento from August 1, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) [PDF]).
- ^ A b Cas Liber: Banksia epica. (No longer available online.) In: Association of Societies for Growing Australian Plants (ASGAP). February 25, 2008, archived from the original on September 4, 2007 ; Retrieved May 27, 2008 .
- ^ Cas Liber: Banksia Study Group Newsletter . In: Banksia Study Group Newsletter . tape 4 , no. 1 . ASGAP, 2002, ISSN 1444-285X , p. 4 ( Banksia Study Group Newsletter ( Memento of December 24, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) [PDF; 165 kB ]).
- ↑ Alex S. George: The Banksia Book (Second Edition) . Kangaroo Press, Kenthurst NSW 1987. ISBN 0-86417-006-8
Web links
- Banksia epica AS George. In: FloraBase. Department of Environment and Conservation, Government of Western Australia, accessed May 27, 2008 .
- Banksia epica AS George. In: Flora of Australia Online. Department of the Environment and Heritage , Australian Government, accessed May 27, 2008 .
- Banksia epica AS George. In: Australian Plant Name Index (APNI). IBIS database. Center for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, accessed May 27, 2008 .