Banksia caleyi

Caley's Banksia
Banksia caleyi with red flowers
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
Order: Proteales
Family: Proteaceae
Genus: Banksia
Species: B. caleyi
Binomial name
Banksia caleyi
R.Br.
Banksia caleyi - MHNT

Banksia caleyi, commonly known as the red lantern banksia or Caley's banksia, is a species of shrub in the plant genus Banksia. It occurs in southern Western Australia south and east of the Stirling Ranges through to around Jerramungup. It grows as a dense shrub to 2 m (7 ft), has serrated leaves and red, hanging inflorescences which are generally hidden in the foliage. The species is relatively resistant to Phytophthora cinnamomi (dieback), unlike many Western Australian banksias.

Description

Cream and pink flowers.

Banksia caleyi grows as a bushy shrub to 2 m (7 ft) in height, with grey bark and finely hairy new growth. The stiff leaves are narrowly wedge-shaped (cuneate) and measure 5 to 14 cm (2–6 in) in length by 1.3–2.4 cm (0.5–1 in) wide. The leaf margins are serrated, with many teeth measuring 0.4 to 0.6 cm (0.2 in) each. Flowering typically occurs between October and December. The inflorescences hang down from branchlets deep within the shrub and measure 5–9 cm (2–3.6 in) in length. Although formally described as having flowers that are cream at the base and deep pink to red in the upper half,[1] in reality, flowers, even on the same plant, can be mainly creamy yellow, mainly red, or any combination in between. The inflorescences turn grey as they age, and the old flowers remain as up to 25 large woody follicles develop. Oval in shape and covered with fine hair, they can reach 4 cm long 2.5 cm high, and 2.5 cm wide.[2]

Taxonomy

Banksia caleyi was formally described by Robert Brown and was named in honour of the English botanist George Caley. The type specimen was collected by William Baxter, inland from King George Sound, in 1929.[3]

George placed B. caleyi in B. subg. Banksia because its inflorescence is a typical Banksia flower spike; in B. sect. Banksia because of its straight styles; and B. ser. Tetragonae because of its pendulous inflorescences. He considered its closest relative to be B. aculeata, which has narrower leaves with fewer, larger lobes; longer perianths, which grade from red to cream rather than from cream to red; shorter pistils; and also differences in the follicles, seeds and flowering time.[1]

In 1996, Kevin Thiele and Pauline Ladiges published the results of a cladistic analysis of morphological characters of Banksia. They retained George's subgenera and many of his series, but discarded his sections. George's B. ser. Tetragonae was found to be monophyletic, and therefore retained; and their analysis of the relationships within the series supported the placement of B. caleyi alongside B. aculeata.[4]

B. caleyi's placement in Thiele and Ladiges' arrangement may be summarised as follows:[4]

Banksia
B. subg. Isostylis (3 species)
B. elegans (incertae sedis)
B. subg. Banksia
B. ser. Tetragonae
B. elderiana
B. lemanniana
B. caleyi
B. aculeata
B. ser. Lindleyanae (1 species)
B. ser. Banksia (2 subseries, 12 species)
B. baueri (incertae sedis)
B. lullfitzii (incertae sedis)
B. attenuata (incertae sedis)
B. ashbyi (incertae sedis)
B. coccinea (incertae sedis)
B. ser. Prostratae (8 species)
B. ser. Cyrtostylis (4 species)
B. ser. Ochraceae (3 species, 2 subspecies)
B. ser. Grandes (2 species)
B. ser. Salicinae (2 series, 11 species, 4 subspecies)
B. ser. Spicigerae (3 series, 7 species, 6 varieties)
B. ser. Quercinae (2 species)
B. ser. Dryandroideae (1 species)
B. ser. Abietinae (4 subseries, 15 species, 8 varieties)

The arrangement of Thiele and Ladiges was not accepted by George, and was discarded in his 1999 revision. Under George's 1999 arrangement, B. aculeata's placement was as follows:[2]

Banksia
B. subg. Banksia
B. sect. Banksia
B. ser. Salicinae (11 species, 7 subspecies)
B. ser. Grandes (2 species)
B. ser. Banksia (8 species)
B. ser. Crocinae (4 species)
B. ser. Prostratae (6 species, 3 varieties)
B. ser. Cyrtostylis (13 species)
B. ser. Tetragonae
B. lemanniana
B. caleyi
B. aculeata
B. ser. Bauerinae (1 species)
B. ser. Quercinae (2 species)
B. sect. Coccinea (1 species)
B. sect. Oncostylis (4 series, 22 species, 4 subspecies, 11 varieties)
B. subg. Isostylis (3 species)

Since 1998, Austin Mast has been publishing results of ongoing cladistic analyses of DNA sequence data for the subtribe Banksiinae. His analyses suggest a phylogeny that is rather different from previous taxonomic arrangements, but support the placement of B. aculeata alongside B. caleyi in a clade corresponding closely with B. ser. Tetragonae.[5][6][7]

Early in 2007 Mast and Thiele initiated a rearrangement by transferring Dryandra to Banksia, and publishing B. subg. Spathulatae for the species having spoon-shaped cotyledons; in this way they also redefined the autonym B. subg. Banksia. They foreshadowed publishing a full arrangement once DNA sampling of Dryandra was complete; in the meantime, if Mast and Thiele's nomenclatural changes are taken as an interim arrangement, then B. caleyi is placed in B. subg. Banksia.[8]

Distribution and habitat

Banksia caleyi is found near the southern coast of Western Australia, from South Stirling to the West River and northeast to Pingrup. Some of its population lies within Fitzgerald River National Park. It is found in mallee woodland on white sand, gravel, and sandy clay.[9]

Ecology

Banksia caleyi is killed by fire and regenerates from seed. In the wild, seedlings take at least three to four years to reach flowering afterwards.[9] It has been shown to have a low susceptibility to dieback from the soil-borne water mould Phytophthora cinnamomi, unlike many Western Australian banksias.[10]

The upside down flower spikes drip nectar onto the ground or lower leaves, suggesting pollination by nonflying mammals which are attracted to the scent.[11]

Cultivation

B. caleyi in a garden at Mount Barker, Western Australia

Banksia caleyi is a medium- to slow-growing plant, taking four to five years to flower from seed.[3] The flowers are attractive but are obscured by the foliage. This species can grow in a range of soil types so long as they provide good drainage. The nominal pH range is from 6 to 7.5. It grows in full sun and partly shaded situations, and tolerates light pruning. Unlike many other Western Australian banksias, has had some degree of success in growing in more humid areas, such as Australia's east coast. It attracts honey and pygmy possums in the garden.[3]

Seeds do not require any treatment, and take 23 to 50 days to germinate.[12]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 George, Alex S. (1981). "The Genus Banksia L.f. (Proteaceae)". Nuytsia 3 (3): 239–473.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 George, Alex (1999). "Banksia". In Wilson, Annette. Flora of Australia: Volume 17B: Proteaceae 3: Hakea to Dryandra. CSIRO Publishing / Australian Biological Resources Study. pp. 175–251. ISBN 0-643-06454-0.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Collins, Kevin; Collins, Kathy; George, Alex (2008). Banksias. Melbourne: Bloomings Books Pty Ltd. ISBN 978-1-876473-68-6.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Thiele, Kevin; Ladiges, Pauline Y. (1996). "A cladistic analysis of Banksia (Proteaceae)". Australian Systematic Botany 9 (5): 661–733. doi:10.1071/SB9960661.
  5. ↑ Mast, Austin R. (1998). "Molecular systematics of subtribe Banksiinae (Banksia and Dryandra; Proteaceae) based on cpDNA and nrDNA sequence data: implications for taxonomy and biogeography". Australian Systematic Botany 11 (4): 321–342. doi:10.1071/SB97026.
  6. ↑ Mast, Austin R.; Givnish, Thomas J. (2002). "Historical biogeography and the origin of stomatal distributions in Banksia and Dryandra (Proteaceae) based on Their cpDNA phylogeny". American Journal of Botany 89 (8): 1311–1323. doi:10.3732/ajb.89.8.1311. ISSN 0002-9122. PMID 21665734. Retrieved 2006-07-02.
  7. ↑ Mast, Austin R.; Jones, Eric H.; Havery, Shawn P. (2005). "An assessment of old and new DNA sequence evidence for the paraphyly of Banksia with respect to Dryandra (Proteaceae)". Australian Systematic Botany (CSIRO Publishing / Australian Systematic Botany Society) 18 (1): 75–88. doi:10.1071/SB04015.
  8. ↑ Mast, Austin R.; Thiele, Kevin (2007). "The transfer of Dryandra R.Br. to Banksia L.f. (Proteaceae)". Australian Systematic Botany 20: 63–71. doi:10.1071/SB06016.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Taylor, Anne; Hopper, Stephen (1988). The Banksia Atlas (Australian Flora and Fauna Series Number 8). Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. ISBN 0-644-07124-9. pp. 70-71.
  10. ↑ McCredie, T. A.; Dixon, K. W.; Sivasithamparam, K. (1985). "Variability in the resistance of Banksia L.f. species to Phytophthora cinnamomi Rands". Australian Journal of Botany 33 (6): 629–37. doi:10.1071/BT9850629.
  11. ↑ Weins, Delbert; Renfree, Marilyn; Wooller, Ronald D. (1979). "Pollen loads of Honey possums (Tarsipes spencerae) and non-flying mammal pollination in South-western Australia". Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 66 (4): 830–38. doi:10.2307/2398921. JSTOR 2398921. Retrieved 24 November 2010.
  12. ↑ Sweedman, Luke; Merritt, David (2006). Australian seeds: a guide to their collection, identification and biology. CSIRO Publishing. p. 202. ISBN 0-643-09298-6.

External links

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