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~Seed Pod~


~Seed Pod~
Photo Information
Copyright: Tina Sieben (gypsygirl58) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 101 W: 0 N: 138] (426)
Genre: Plants
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-05-05
Categories: Trees
Camera: Pentax K100D, Sigma 18-50 f3.5/5.6 DC
Exposure: f/8, 1/90 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-05-24 2:37
Viewed: 4806
Points: 16
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I took this photo whilst visiting Wittunga Botanical Gardens with a friend. It is of a Banksia Seed Pod.


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.

Discovery
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.

Characteristics
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.

PP Work:
RAW to JPEG
Cropped the image a tad
Altered the brightness and contrast levels a tad
Sharpened the image a tad

Thansk for looking and for your comments and critiques! Cheers Tina :-)
Royaldevon, Necipp, ridvan, nainnain, PaulH, gracious has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To PaulH: Seed Podgypsygirl58 1 05-30 05:50
To arfer: Seed Podgypsygirl58 1 05-30 05:49
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Tina,
This plant is just remarkable. They look like fleshy pine cones! Lovely sharp detail and tones of colour.
Kind regards,
Bev :-)

Hi Tina,
These are great looking seed pods. Nice colours and the quality of the image is great, fabulous sharpness. The Banksia is such an interesting plant and there are just so many different species. Well seen and captured.
Cheers,
Debbie

Hello Tina a lovely detailed and colourfull seed pod nice find and great writup tfs rgds necip.

  • Great 
  • ridvan Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 498 W: 0 N: 1136] (5205)
  • [2007-05-24 10:04]

selam tina; nice shot with splendid colours and clear pose with well presented POV . good BG. TFS well done.
all the best ,
ridvan

hello
toujours des couleurs nettes sur vos images, bonne luminosité, bien vu, bravo, amitiès
edith

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2007-05-29 22:45]
  • [+]

Hello Tina

Another exotic posting from Down Under.The focus is sharp with excellent details.The informative notes have helped me to understand better the subject.They look similar to pine cones.Very rich colour saturation.Well composed with an excellent POV.TFS

Rob

  • Great 
  • PaulH Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1137 W: 26 N: 3879] (13882)
  • [2007-05-30 4:46]
  • [+]

Hi Tina,

a fascinating post with so much detail to look at. Great natural colours and composition, this would make a great painting too!

tfs,

Paul

Hello Tina,
perfect sharpness with so much details and colour!
very good pp work too
good work
cheers
Tony

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