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~Banksia II~
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
I took this photo whilst visiting Wittunga Botanical Gardens with a girlfriend recently. It is of a Banksia. Unfortunately I don't know which one as there are so many, and many of them look very similar.
BANKSIA is a genus of about 75 species in the Protea family (Proteaceae). All species occur in Australia with one (B.dentata) extending to islands to Australia's north. Banksias can be found in most environments; the tropics, sub-alpine areas, the coast and desert areas. The most diversity in the genus occurs in the south of Western Australia where over 80% of the species occur. Archaeological evidence suggests that banksias or Banksia-like plants have existed for over 40 million years. The first humans to discover and make use of Banksia plants were the Australian aborigines who used the nectar from the flowers as part of their diet.
The first Europeans to observe banksias were probably Dutch explorers who made several landfalls along the West Australian coast during the 17th and early 18th centuries. No botanical collections were made, however, until the discovery of the east coast of Australia by Captain James Cook in the Endeavour in April 1770. Accompanying Cook were botanists Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander who collected many new species at Botany Bay including four which would later be included in a new genus, Banksia, named in honour of Joseph Banks' contribution to botany. The four species collected were B.serrata, B.ericifolia, B.integrifolia and B.robur. Later, on the same voyage, Banks and Solander collected a fifth species (B.dentata) on the north Queensland coast.
Banksia flowers are quite small but they occur in dense clusters which, in some species, can number several thousand individuals. Banksias are classified into two broad groups; sub-genus Isostylis and sub-genus Banksia. The former consists of only three species, all native to Western Australia, and is recognised by having flowers in cone-shaped clusters. This group is similar in many ways to the related genus Dryandra. The sub-genus Banksia has its flowers arranged in the more or less cylindrical spike familiar to most Australians.
The relationship between Banksia and Dryandra is so close that some botanists believe that the two genera should be combined. This view appears to be gaining wider acceptance and it is possible that Dryandra will be subsumed into Banksia in the future, which would more than double the number of Banksia species.
Banksia flowers are followed by large, woody seed "cones" in which the seeds are contained within closed follicles, two seeds per follicle. In the majority of species these follicles remain tightly closed unless stimulated to open by heat, such as following a bushfire but, with a few species, the seed is released annually. The seeds themselves have a papery wing which allows them to be distributed by wind.
Most banksias are medium shrubs but some are prostrate and a few can become large trees. Those species native to areas where fires occur at regular intervals often have a "lignotuber", a woody swelling at or below ground level from which regeneration of the plant can occur if the above ground stems are destroyed. Other species are killed in fire, with seedlings sprouting in their place.
Information came from:
http://asgap.org.au/banksia1.html
PP Work:
RAW to JPEG
Cropped a tad from original
Altered the contrast and brightness levels a tad
Sharpened the image
Thanks for looking and for your critiques and comments! Cheers Tina :-) |
Jamesp, eqshannon has marked this note useful
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- Jamesp
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1251 W: 0 N: 4829]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif)
(14332) - [2007-06-02 7:07]
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Hi Tina
Nice detailed shot of a Banksia. Nice composition.
James
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- Mana
![Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1714 W: 24 N: 4988]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-s-g.gif)
(16346) - [2007-06-02 9:54]
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Hi Tina,
Such an amazing species you have captured. Looks so gorgeous with its rich colours and an interesting shape. I like your POV to portray the entire flower, gives a fine impression of its size and form. Very informative note about the species (banksia). Very nicely composed and presented. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon
Hi Tina,
Great image of this Banksia flower. Good POV that includes the whole flower and some of those sharp looking leaves. One can see all the detail in the flower so well with its good sharpness.
Cheers,
Debbie
Points for wonderful photographic description and photo itself. tells me more than I ever knew or had thought that I would like to know. The colors are fantastic. I see now it is a Pentax digital. I had a 1000K or something like that in film.
Colours are one of my favorites in your pic.
Bob
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- arfer
![Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-n.gif)
(0) - [2007-06-12 23:19]
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Hello Tina
A Very good documentation type shot of this flower.A very unique and exotic looking species.The colours are well saturated and the shot well composed.TFS
Rob
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1897 W: 186 N: 6626]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif){kind=small}