Flora of Australia Online

Banksia epica A.S.George, Nuytsia 6: 310 (1988)

T: Point Culver, W.A., May 1986, J.Falconer; holo: PERTH; iso: CANB, MEL.

Illustrations: A.S.George, Banksia Book 2nd edn, 128, fig. 28A, pl. 48A (1987); C.E.Rosser & A.S.George, Banksias III: pl. 76 (in press).

Shrub to 3 m, without lignotuber. Bark fissured, grey. Stems hoary. Leaves: petiole 2–8 mm long; lamina obovate to narrowly cuneate, 15–50 mm long, 6–15 mm wide, truncate; margins flat or gently recurved, obtusely serrate; upper surface rusty-tomentose becoming scurfy; lower surface glabrous except pits in lower surface. Inflorescence on short lateral branchlet, 9–17 cm long; flowers crowded; involucral bracts linear, 8–10 mm long, villous, falling early. Flowers cream including styles. Perianth 40–44 mm long including limb of 4.5–5.5 mm; claws appressed-pubescent in upper half, glabrous below and inside; limb glabrous. Pistil gently curved, 39–43 mm long, glabrous; pollen presenter 1.5–1.8 mm long, obscurely ribbed. Old flowers persistent in fruit. Follicles up to 50, elliptic, 13–20 mm long, 7–10 mm high, 6–9 mm wide, warted, sparsely hairy. Seed 22–24 mm long; seed body obovate, 11–13 mm long, 7–8 mm wide, with scattered small ridges each side. Fig. 32A.

Restricted to clifftops of the western Great Australian Bight, at Point Culver and Toolinna Cove, W.A. Grows in deep white sand over limestone, emergent above low kwongan. Flowers Apr.–June. Map 215.

W.A.: Toolinna, A.S.George 16932 (CANB, K, MEL, NSW, PERTH).

This species is unusual in having bright green tips to the common and floral bracts. Flowers strongly scented. Closely related to B. media and B. praemorsa but with longer flowers and larger pollen presenter. Banksia praemorsa has a glabrous perianth. Banksia media has larger, more undulate leaves.