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The (Australian) winter is approaching, so I here's a set of today's photos of
some of our winter flowering plants, specifically banksias:
Wikipedia:
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 to 30 metres tall. They are generally found in a wide variety of
landscapes; sclerophyll forest, (occasionally) rainforest, shrubland, and some more arid landscapes, though not in
Australia's deserts.
Heavy producers of nectar, banksias form a vital part of the food chain in the Australian bush. They are an important food
source for all sorts of nectariferous animals, including birds, bats, rats, possums, stingless bees and a host of invertebrates.
Furthermore, they are of economic importance to Australia's nursery and cut flower industries. However these plants are
threatened by a number of processes including land clearing, frequent burning and disease, and a number of species are
rare and endangered.
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| David Hawkes Untitled, 1997 Oil on board, 15 x 15 cm Esa Jaske Collection |
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