Tuesday, July 17, 2007

banksia ericifolia

The Heath-leaved Banksia (Banksia ericifolia), also known as the Lantern Banksia or Heath Banksia, is a species of woody shrub of the Proteaceae family native to Central and Northern New South Wales east of the Great Dividing Range. Well -known for its orange or red autumn inflorescences which contrast with its green fine=leaved heath-like foliage, it has been widely grown in Australian gardens on the east coast for many years as well as being used in the cut flower industry.
Banksia ericifolia was one of the original Banksia species collected by Joseph Banks around Botany Bay in 1770 and was named by Carl Linnaeus the Younger, son of Carolus Linnaeus, in 1782. A distinctive plant, it has recently been split into two subspecies.
It is the official plant of Sydney and is sometimes seen in amenity plantings and parks around the city. It was known as wadanggari (pron. "wa-tang-gre") to the local Eora and Darug inhabitants of the Sydney basin.

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