I have a couple of weeks easier and then the rest of the month full on so I am going with the theme Things Aussie for this month - that way I can draw on images that I have when times get tough!
This week it's FLORA!
I love Banksia as much as I love Grevillea - they are as varied as they are beautiful.
There are 173 Banksia species, and all but one occur naturally only in Australia. Banksias were named after Sir Joseph Banks who, in 1770, was the first European to collect specimens of these plants.
The flower heads are made up of hundreds (sometimes thousands) of tiny individual flowers grouped together in pairs. The colour of the flower heads usually ranges from yellow to red. Many species flower over autumn and winter.
The fruits of banksias (called follicles) are hard and woody and are often grouped together to resemble cones (which they are not true cones are produced only by conifers).
The fruits protect the seeds from foraging animals and from fire. In many species the fruits will not open until they have been burnt or completely dried out.
Nice collage and an interesting plant.I didn't know it came in a number of varieties... I've only ever seen the red one.. in a heated glasshouse at the Botanic Gardens
