View source for Banksia

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants in the family Proteaceae}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2024}}
{{More footnotes|date=June 2023}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| fossil_range = {{fossil range|Paleogene|Recent}}
| image = Banksia in the Blue Mountains.jpg
| image_caption = ''[[Banksia serrata]]''
| display_parents = 2
| taxon = Banksia
| authority = [[Carl Linnaeus the Younger|L.f.]]
| type_species = ''[[Banksia serrata]]''
| subdivision_ranks = 
| subdivision = 
| diversity = About 170 species
| diversity_link = List of Banksia species
| synonyms =
* ''Dryandra'' <small>[[Robert Brown (Scottish botanist from Montrose)|R.Br.]]</small>
* ''Hemiclidia'' <small>R.Br.</small>
* ''Isostylis'' <small>(R.Br.) [[Édouard Spach|Spach]]</small>
* ''Josephia'' <small>[[Richard Anthony Salisbury|Salisb.]] ex Knight</small>
* ''Sirmuellera'' <small>[[Otto Kuntze|Kuntze]]</small>
| synonyms_ref = <ref name="POWO">{{cite web|url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:331384-2 |title=''Banksia'' L.f. |date=2023 |work=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew |access-date=23 June 2023}}</ref>
| range_map = Banksia aus dist map colour gnangarra.png
| range_map_caption = Distribution of ''Banksia'' within [[Australia]]
}}

'''''Banksia''''' is a [[genus]] of around 170 [[species]] of [[flowering plants]] in the family [[Proteaceae]].<ref name="POWO"/> These Australian [[wildflower]]s and popular [[Ornamental plant|garden plant]]s are easily recognised by their characteristic flower spikes, and woody fruiting "cones" and heads.<ref>{{cite book |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=2021 |title=Banksias (Proteaceae) |url=https://austplants.com.au/resources/Documents/North-Shore-Documents/Talks/Banksia%202021%20talk%20notes.pdf  |publisher=Australian Plants Society NSW }}</ref>{{rp|1}} ''Banksias'' range in size from prostrate woody [[shrub]]s to trees up to 30 metres (100&nbsp;ft) tall. They are 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 (plant)|nectar]], banksias are a vital part of the food chain in the Australian bush. They are an important food source for nectarivorous animals, including birds, bats, rats, possums, stingless bees and a host of invertebrates. Further, they are of economic importance to Australia's [[nursery (horticulture)|nursery]] and [[floristry|cut flower]] industries. However, these plants are threatened by a number of processes including [[Land clearing in Australia|land clearing]], frequent burning and disease, and a number of species are [[rare species|rare]] and [[endangered species|endangered]].

==Description==
[[Image:Banksia spinulosa 1.jpg|left|thumb|Young ''Banksia'' inflorescence showing flower buds developing in pairs]]
Banksias grow as [[tree]]s or woody [[shrubs]].  Trees of the largest species, ''[[Banksia integrifolia|B.&nbsp;integrifolia]]'' (coast banksia) and ''[[Banksia seminuda|B.&nbsp;seminuda]]'' (river banksia), often grow over 15 metres tall, some even grow to standing 30 metres tall.<ref>{{cite journal | author = Liber C | year = 2004 | title = Really Big Banksias | journal = Banksia Study Group Newsletter| volume = 6 | pages = 4–5}}</ref> ''Banksia'' species that grow as shrubs are usually erect, but there are several species that are prostrate, with branches that grow on or below the soil.

The leaves of ''Banksia'' vary greatly between species.  Sizes vary from the narrow, 1–{{frac|1|1|2}} centimetre long needle-like leaves of ''[[Banksia ericifolia|B.&nbsp;ericifolia]]'' (heath-leaved banksia), to the very large leaves of ''[[Banksia grandis|B.&nbsp;grandis]]'' (bull banksia), which may be up to 45 centimetres long.  The leaves of most species have serrated edges, but a few, such as ''B.&nbsp;integrifolia'', do not.  Leaves are usually arranged along the branches in irregular spirals, but in some species they are crowded together in [[Whorl (botany)|whorls]]. Many species have differing juvenile and adult leaves (e.g., ''Banksia integrifolia'' has large serrated juvenile leaves).

The flowers are arranged in flower spikes or capitate flower heads.{{sfn|George|1999|p=175}} The character most commonly associated with ''Banksia'' is the flower spike, an elongated [[inflorescence]] consisting of a woody axis covered in tightly packed pairs of flowers attached at right angles. A single flower spike generally contains hundreds or even thousands of flowers; the most recorded is around 6000 on inflorescences of ''[[Banksia grandis|B.&nbsp;grandis]]''. Not all ''Banksia'' have an elongate flower spike, however: the members of the small ''[[Banksia subg. Isostylis|Isostylis]]'' complex have long been recognised as ''banksias'' in which the flower spike has been reduced to a head; and recently the large genus ''Dryandra'' has been found to have arisen from within the ranks of ''Banksia'', and sunk into it as [[Banksia ser. Dryandra|''B.''&nbsp;ser. ''Dryandra'']]. They similarly have capitate flower heads rather than spikes.

[[File:Banksia marginata immature and mature.jpg|thumb|''[[Banksia marginata|B.&nbsp;marginata]]'' flower spike before and after [[anthesis]]]]
''Banksia'' flowers are usually a shade of [[yellow]], but [[Orange (colour)|orange]], [[red]], [[pink]] and even [[violet (color)|violet]] flowers also occur.  The colour of the flowers is determined by the colour of the [[perianth]] parts and often the [[carpel|style]].  The style is much longer than the perianth, and is initially trapped by the upper perianth parts.  These are gradually released over a period of days, either from top to bottom or from bottom to top.  When the styles and perianth parts are different colours, the visual effect is of a colour change sweeping along the spike. This can be most spectacular in ''[[Banksia prionotes|B.&nbsp;prionotes]]'' (acorn banksia) and related species, as the white inflorescence in bud becomes a brilliant orange. In most cases, the individual flowers are tall, thin saccate (sack-shaped) in shape.

[[File:Banksia Marginata Seed.jpg|thumb|left|[[Seed separator]] of a silver banksia (''[[Banksia marginata]]'') with winged seeds still cohering]]
Occasionally, multiple flower spikes can form. This is most often seen in ''[[Banksia marginata]]'' and ''[[Banksia ericifolia|B. ericifolia]]''<ref>{{cite journal |last=Johnson |first=S |year=1992 |title=Multiple Flower Heads |journal=Banksia Study Report |volume=9 |page=58}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Blake |first=T |year=1988 |title=Multiple Heads |journal=Banksia Study Report |volume=8 |page=2}}</ref> ''(pictured right)''.

[[File:Banksia integrifolia and marginata cones.jpg|thumb|Infructescence of ''[[Banksia integrifolia|B.&nbsp;integrifolia]]'', with non-persistent flowers; and ''[[Banksia marginata|B.&nbsp;marginata]]'', with persistent flowers]]
As the flower spikes or heads age, the flower parts dry up and may turn shades of orange, tan or dark brown colour, before fading to grey over a period of years.  In some species, old flower parts are lost, revealing the axis; in others, the old flower parts may persist for many years, giving the fruiting structure a hairy appearance.  Old flower spikes are commonly referred to as "cones", although they are not technically cones according to the botanical definition of the term: [[Conifer cone|cones]] only occur in [[conifer]]s and [[cycad]]s.

Despite the large number of flowers per inflorescence, only a few of them ever develop fruit, and in some species a flower spike will set no fruit at all.  The fruit of ''Banksia'' is a woody [[Follicle (fruit)|follicle]] embedded in the axis of the inflorescence.  In many species, the resulting structure is a massive woody structure commonly called a cone.  Each follicle consists of two horizontal valves that tightly enclose the seeds.  The follicle opens to release the seed by splitting along the suture. In some species, each valve splits too.  In some species the follicles open as soon as the seed is mature, but in most species most follicles open only after stimulated to do so by [[Bushfires in Australia|bushfire]].  Each follicle usually contains one or two small seeds, each with a wedge-shaped papery wing that causes it to spin as it falls to the ground.

==Taxonomy==
{{main|Taxonomy of Banksia}}
Specimens of ''Banksia'' were first collected by [[Joseph Banks|Sir Joseph Banks]] and [[Daniel Solander]], naturalists on the ''[[HM Bark Endeavour|Endeavour]]'' during Lieutenant (later Captain) [[James Cook]]'s first voyage to the [[Pacific Ocean]]. Cook landed on Australian soil for the first time on 29 April 1770, at a place that he later named [[Botany Bay]] in recognition of "the great quantity of plants Mr Banks and Dr Solander found in this place".<ref name="Wharton 1893">{{cite book | author = Cook, James | year = 1893 | editor = William J. L. Wharton | title = Captain Cook's Journal during his First Voyage Round the World made in H. M. Bark "Endeavour" 1768–71: A Literal Transcription of the Original MSS | location = London | publisher = E. Stock | author-link = James Cook| title-link = Wikisource:Captain Cook's Journal, First Voyage }}</ref> Over the next seven weeks, Banks and Solander collected thousands of plant specimens, including the first specimens of a new genus that would later be named ''Banksia'' in Banks' honour. Four species were present in this first collection: ''[[Banksia serrata|B.&nbsp;serrata]]'' (Saw Banksia), ''[[Banksia integrifolia|B.&nbsp;integrifolia]]'' (Coast Banksia), ''[[Banksia ericifolia|B.&nbsp;ericifolia]]'' (Heath-leaved Banksia) and ''[[Banksia robur|B.&nbsp;robur]]'' (Swamp Banksia). In June the ship was [[careening|careened]] at [[Endeavour River]], where specimens of ''[[Banksia dentata|B.&nbsp;dentata]]'' (Tropical Banksia) were collected.{{sfn|Wrigley|Fagg|1991|p=80}}

The genus ''Banksia'' was finally described and named by [[Carolus Linnaeus the Younger]] in his April 1782 publication ''[[Supplementum Plantarum]]''; hence the [[Binomial nomenclature#Authorship in scientific names|full name]] for the genus is "''Banksia'' L.f.". Linnaeus placed the genus in class [[Linnaean taxonomy#Classification of plants|Tetrandra]], order Monogynia of his father's classification,<ref name="L.f. 1782">{{cite book | author = Carolus Linnaeus the Younger | year = 1782 | title = Supplementum Plantarum Systema Vegetabilium Editionis Decima Tertia, Generum Plantarum Editionis Fexta, Et Specierum Plantarum Editionis Secunda | location = Brunsvigae |publisher = Orphanotrophei| title-link = Supplementum Plantarum | author-link = Carolus Linnaeus the Younger }}</ref> and named it in honour of Banks.  The name ''Banksia'' had in fact already been published in 1775 as ''Banksia'' [[Johann Reinhold Forster|J.R.Forst]] & [[Georg Forster|G.Forst]], referring to some [[New Zealand]] species that the Forsters had collected during Cook's second voyage. However Linnaeus incorrectly attributed the Forsters' specimens to the genus ''[[Passerina (plant)|Passerina]]'', and therefore considered the name ''Banksia'' available for use. By the time [[Joseph Gaertner]] corrected Banks' error in 1788, ''Banksia'' L.f. was widely known and accepted, so Gaertner [[nomen novum|renamed]] ''Banksia'' J.R.Forst, & G.Forst to ''[[Pimelea]]'', a name previously chosen for the genus by Banks and Solander.<ref name="Salkin 1981">{{cite journal | author = Salkin, Abraham Isaac (Alf) | year = 1981 | title = A Short History of the Discovery and Naming of Banksias in Eastern Australia: Part I, Banks & Solander | journal = Victorian Naturalist | volume = 98 | issue = 2}}</ref>

The first specimens of a ''Dryandra'' were collected by [[Archibald Menzies]], surgeon and naturalist to the [[Vancouver Expedition]]. At the request of [[Joseph Banks]], Menzies collected natural history specimens wherever possible during the voyage. During September and October 1791, while the expedition were anchored at [[King George Sound]], he collected numerous plant specimens, including the first specimens of ''[[Banksia sessilis|Dryandra&nbsp;(''now'' Banksia)&nbsp;sessilis]]'' (Parrotbush) and ''[[Banksia pellaeifolia|D.&nbsp;(''now'' Banksia)&nbsp;pellaeifolia]]''. Upon Menzies' return to England, he turned his specimens over to Banks; as with most other specimens in Banks' library, they remained undescribed for many years.<ref name="Cavanagh 2006">{{Cite book | author = Cavanagh, Tony and [[Margaret Pieroni]] | year = 2006 | title = The Dryandras | publisher = Melbourne: Australian Plants Society (SGAP Victoria); Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia | isbn = 978-1-876473-54-9}}</ref> Robert Brown gave a lecture, naming the new genus ''Dryandra'' in 1809, however [[Joseph Knight (horticulturist)|Joseph Knight]] published the name ''Josephia'' before Brown published his paper with the description of ''Dryandra''. Brown ignored Knight's name, as did subsequent botanists.{{sfn|Wrigley|Fagg|1991|pp=151-152}}

In 1891, [[Otto Kuntze]], strictly applying the [[principle of priority]], argued that ''Pimelea'' should revert to the name ''Banksia'' J.R.Forst & G.Forst. He proposed the new genus ''Sirmuellera'' to replaced ''Banksia'' L.f. and transferred its species to the new genus.<ref>{{cite book |last=Kuntze |first=Otto |authorlink=Otto Kuntze |title=Revisio generum plantarum |volume=2 |publisher=Arthur Felix |location=Leipzig |year=1891 |pages=581–582 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/4004}}</ref> This arrangement was largely ignored by Kuntze's contemporaries.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Rehder |first1=A. |authorlink1=Alfred Rehder |last2=Weatherby |first2=C. A. |authorlink2=Charles Alfred Weatherby |last3=Mansfeld |first3=R. |authorlink3=Rudolf Mansfeld |last4=Green |first4=M. L. |authorlink4=Mary Letitia Green |title=Conservation of Later Generic Homonyms |journal=Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew) |year=1935 |volume=1935 |issue=6/9 |page=368 |doi=10.2307/4107078 |jstor=4107078|doi-access=free }}</ref>''Banksia'' L.f. was [[conserved name|formally conserved]] and ''Sirmuellera'' rejected in 1940.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Sprague |first=T. A. |authorlink=Thomas Archibald Sprague |title=Additional Nomina Generica Conservanda (Pteridophyta and Phanerogamae) |journal=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |year=1940 |volume=1940 |issue=3 |doi=10.2307/4111642 |jstor=4111642 |page=99}}</ref>

''Banksia'' belongs to the family [[Proteaceae]], subfamily [[Grevilleoideae]], and tribe [[Banksieae]]. There are around 170 species. The closest relatives of ''Banksia'' are two genera of rainforest trees in North Queensland (''[[Musgravea]]'' and ''[[Austromuellera]]'').<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Sauquet |first1=Hervé |last2=Weston |first2=Peter H. |last3=Anderson |first3=Cajsa Lisa |last4=Barker |first4=Nigel P. |last5=Cantrill |first5=David J. |last6=Mast |first6=Austin R. |last7=Savolainen |first7=Vincent |title=Contrasted patterns of hyperdiversification in Mediterranean hotspots |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |volume=106 |issue=1 |pages=221–225 |year=2009 |pmid=19116275 |pmc=2629191 |jstor=40272344 |bibcode=2009PNAS..106..221S |doi=10.1073/pnas.0805607106 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

===Subgeneric arrangement===
[[Alex George (botanist)|Alex George]] arranged the genus into two subgenera—subgenus ''Isostylis'' (containing ''B. ilicifolia'', ''B. oligantha'' and ''B. cuneata'') and subgenus ''Banksia'' (containing all other species except those he considered dryandras)—in his 1981 monograph and 1999 treatment for the Flora of Australia series. He held that flower morphology was the key to relationships in the genus. Austin Mast and Kevin Thiele published the official merging of ''Dryandra'' within ''Banksia'' in 2007, recalibrating the genus into subgenus ''Banksia'' and subgenus ''Spathulatae''.<ref name="Mast & Thiele 2007">{{cite journal | first1 = Austin R. | last1 = Mast |last2=Thiele |first2=Kevin R.|date=2007 | title = The transfer of Dryandra R.Br. to Banksia L.f. (Proteaceae) | journal = Australian Systematic Botany | volume = 20 | issue = 1 | pages = 63–71 | issn = 1030-1887 | doi=10.1071/SB06016 | bibcode = 2007AuSyB..20...63M }}</ref>

==Distribution and habitat==
All but one of the living ''Banksia'' species are [[endemic (ecology)|endemic]] to Australia.  The exception is ''[[Banksia dentata|B.&nbsp;dentata]]'' (tropical banksia), which occurs throughout northern Australia, and on islands to the north including [[New Guinea]] and the [[Aru Islands Regency|Aru Islands]].<ref name="FM">{{cite journal |last1=Sleumer |first1=H |title=Proteaceae |date=1955 |url=https://repository.naturalis.nl/pub/532635 |journal=Flora Malesiana |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=147–206 |via=Naturalis Institutional Repository}}</ref>{{rp|148–149, 205}} An extinct species, ''[[Banksia novae-zelandiae|B.&nbsp;novae-zelandiae]]'', was found in [[New Zealand]]. The other species occur in two distinct geographical regions: [[Southwest Australia|southwest]] [[Western Australia]] and eastern Australia.  Southwest Western Australia is the main centre of [[biodiversity]]; over 90% of all ''Banksia'' species occur only there, from [[Exmouth, Western Australia|Exmouth]] in the north, south and east to beyond [[Esperance, Western Australia|Esperance]] on the south coast.  Eastern Australia has far fewer species, but these include some of best known and most widely distributed species, including ''[[Banksia integrifolia|B.&nbsp;integrifolia]]'' (coast banksia) and ''[[Banksia spinulosa|B.&nbsp;spinulosa]]'' (hairpin banksia). Here they occur from the [[Eyre Peninsula]] in South Australia right around the east coast up to [[Cape York Peninsula|Cape York]] in [[Queensland]].

The vast majority of ''Banksia'' are found in sandy or gravelly soils, though some populations of ''[[Banksia marginata|B.&nbsp;marginata]]'' (silver banksia) and ''B.&nbsp;spinulosa'' do occur on soil that is heavier and more clay-like.  ''B.&nbsp;seminuda'' is exceptional for its preference for rich loams along watercourses.

Most occur in [[Heath (habitat)|heathlands]] or low [[woodland]]s; of the eastern species, ''B.&nbsp;integrifolia'' and ''B.&nbsp;marginata'' occur in forests; many south-western species such as ''[[Banksia grandis|B.&nbsp;grandis]]'', [[Banksia sphaerocarpa|''B.&nbsp;sphaerocarpa'']], ''[[Banksia sessilis|B.&nbsp;sessilis]]'', ''[[Banksia nobilis|B.&nbsp;nobilis]]'' and ''[[Banksia dellanneyi|B.&nbsp;dallanneyi]]'' grow as understorey plants in [[jarrah]] (''Eucalyptus marginata''), wandoo (''E. wandoo'') and [[Eucalyptus diversicolor|karri]] (''E. diversicolor'') [[forest]]s, with ''B.&nbsp;seminuda'' being one of the forest trees in suitable habitat.

Most species do not grow well near the [[coast]], notable exceptions being the southern [[Western Australia]]n species [[Banksia speciosa|''B.&nbsp;speciosa'']], [[Banksia praemorsa|''B.&nbsp;praemorsa'']] and [[Banksia repens|''B.&nbsp;repens'']].  Only a few species, such as [[Banksia rosserae|''B.&nbsp;rosserae'']] and ''[[Banksia elderiana|B.&nbsp;elderiana]]'' (swordfish banksia), occur in [[desert|arid]] areas.  Most of the eastern Australian species survive in [[upland (geology)|uplands]], but only a few of the [[Western Australia]]n species native to the [[Stirling Range]]s – [[Banksia solandri|''B.&nbsp;solandri'']], [[Banksia oreophila|''B.&nbsp;oreophila'']], [[Banksia brownii|''B.&nbsp;brownii'']] and [[Banksia montana|''B.&nbsp;montana'']] – survive at high elevations.

Studies of the south-western species have found the distribution of ''Banksia'' species to be primarily constrained by rainfall. With the exception of ''B.&nbsp;rosserae'', no species tolerates annual rainfall of less than 200 millimetres, despite many species surviving in areas that receive less than 400 millimetres. ''Banksia'' species are present throughout the region of suitable rainfall, with greatest speciation in cooler, wetter areas. Hotter, drier regions around the edges of its range tend to have fewer species with larger distributions. The greatest species richness occurs in association with uplands, especially the Stirling Range.<ref name="Lamont 1996">{{cite journal |last1=Lamont |first1=Byron |last2=Connell |first2=S.W. |title=Biogeography of Banksia in southwestern Australia |journal=Journal of Biogeography |volume=23 |issue=3 |year=1996 |pages=295–309 |jstor=2845847 |doi=10.1046/j.1365-2699.1996.00027.x|bibcode=1996JBiog..23..295L }}</ref>

== Evolutionary history and fossil record ==
There are many fossils of ''Banksia''. The oldest of these are fossil pollen between 65 and 59&nbsp;million years old. There are fossil leaves between 59 and 56&nbsp;million years old found in southern New South Wales.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Carpenter |first1=Raymond J. |last2=Jordan |first2=Gregory J. |last3=Hill |first3=Robert S. |title=''Banksieaephyllum taylorii'' ( Proteaceae) from the late paleocene of New South Wales and its relevance to the origin of Australia's scleromorphic flora |journal=Australian Systematic Botany |volume=7 |issue=4 |year=1994 |pages=385–392 |doi=10.1071/SB9940385 |bibcode=1994AuSyB...7..385C }}</ref> The oldest fossil cones are between 47.8 and 41.2&nbsp;million years old, found in Western Australia.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=McNamara |first1=Kenneth J. |last2=Scott |first2=John K. |title=A new species of ''Banksia'' (Proteaceae) from the Eocene Merlinleigh Sandstone of the Kennedy Range, Western Australia |journal=Alcheringa |volume=7 |issue=3 |year=2008 |pages=185–193 |doi=10.1080/03115518308619617 }}</ref> Although ''Banksia'' is now only native to Australia and New Guinea, there are fossils from New Zealand, between 21 and 25&nbsp;million years old.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Carpenter |first1=R. J. |last2=Jordan |first2=G. J. |last3=Lee |first3=D. E. |last4=Hill |first4=R. S. |title=Leaf fossils of Banksia (Proteaceae) from New Zealand: An Australian abroad |journal=American Journal of Botany |volume=97 |issue=2 |year=2010 |pages=288–297 |doi=10.3732/ajb.0900199 |pmid=21622389 |bibcode=2010AmJB...97..288C |doi-access=free }}</ref>

Evolutionary scientists Marcell Cardillo and Renae Pratt have proposed a southwest Australian origin for banksias despite their closest relatives being north Queensland rainforest species.<ref name="cardillo 2013">{{cite journal|last=Cardillo|first=Marcel|author2=Pratt, Renae|date=2013|title=Evolution of a Hotspot Genus: Geographic Variation in Speciation and Extinction Rates in ''Banksia'' (Proteaceae)|journal=BMC Evolutionary Biology|volume=13|issue=155|pages=155| doi=10.1186/1471-2148-13-155|pmid=23957450|pmc=3751403 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2013BMCEE..13..155C }}</ref>

==Ecology==
[[Image:Banksia integrifolia with lorikeet Waverley email.jpg|thumb|Rainbow lorikeet (''[[Trichoglossus haematodus]]'') feasting on [[Banksia integrifolia subsp. integrifolia|''B. integrifolia'' subsp. ''integrifolia'']], [[Waverley, New South Wales|Waverley]] NSW]]
{{main|Ecology of Banksia}}
Banksias are heavy producers of [[nectar (plant)|nectar]], making them an important source of food for [[nectivorous]] animals, including [[honeyeaters]] and small mammals such as rodents, [[antechinus]], [[honey possum]]s, [[pygmy possum]]s, [[Gliding possum|gliders]] and [[bat]]s.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hackett |first1=Damian J. |last2=Goldingay |first2=Ross L. |title=Pollination of ''Banksia'' spp. by non-flying mammals in north-eastern New South Wales |journal=Australian Journal of Botany |volume=49 |issue=5 |year=2001 |pages=637–644 |doi=10.1071/BT00004 |bibcode=2001AuJB...49..637H }}</ref>  Many of these animals play a role in pollination of ''Banksia''. Various studies have shown mammals and birds to be important pollinators.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Wooller |first1=S. J. |last2=Wooller |first2=R. D. |title=Seed set in two sympatric banksias, ''Banksia attenuata'' and ''B. baxteri'' |journal=Australian Journal of Botany |volume=49 |issue=5 |year=2001 |pages=597–602 |doi=10.1071/BT00084 |bibcode=2001AuJB...49..597W }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Wooller |first1=S. J. |last2=Wooller |first2=R. D. |title=Mixed mating in Banksia media |journal=Australian Journal of Botany |volume=50 |issue=5 |year=2002 |pages=627–631 |doi=10.1071/BT01075 |bibcode=2002AuJB...50..627W }}</ref> In 1978, Carpenter<ref name=Carpenter>{{cite journal |title=Hooks for mammal pollination? |first=F. Lynn |last=Carpenter |journal=Oecologia |volume=35 |issue=2 |date=1978 |pages=123–132 |doi=10.1007/bf00344725 |pmid=28309726 |bibcode=1978Oecol..35..123L|s2cid=189826442 }}</ref> observed that some banksias had a stronger odour at night, possibly to attract nocturnal mammal pollinators. Other associated fauna include the [[larva]]e of [[moth]]s (such as the [[Dryandra Moth]]) and [[weevil]]s, which burrow into the "cones" to eat the seeds and [[pupa]]te in the follicles; and [[bird]]s such as [[cockatoo]]s, who break off the "cones" to eat both the seeds and the [[insect]] larvae.

A number of ''Banksia'' species are considered rare or endangered. These include [[Banksia brownii|''B.&nbsp;brownii'']] (feather-leaved banksia), [[Banksia cuneata|''B.&nbsp;cuneata'']] (matchstick banksia), [[Banksia goodii|''B.&nbsp;goodii'']] (Good's banksia), [[Banksia oligantha|''B.&nbsp;oligantha'']] (Wagin banksia), [[Banksia tricuspis|''B.&nbsp;tricuspis'']] (pine banksia), and [[Banksia verticillata|''B.&nbsp;verticillata'']] (granite banksia).

===Response to fire===
[[Image:Banksia prionotes response to fire Burma Rd email.jpg|left|thumb|''[[Banksia prionotes]]'' seedlings after fire, [[Burma Road Nature Reserve]], WA]]
[[Image:Banksiaserrataseedlings29872323593 014d92e255 o.jpg|thumb|left|''[[Banksia serrata]]'' seedlings and cone after fire, [[Beacon Hill, New South Wales|Beacon Hill]], NSW]]
''Banksia'' plants are naturally adapted to the presence of regular [[Bushfires in Australia|bushfires]] in the Australian landscape. About half of ''Banksia'' species are killed by bushfire, but these regenerate quickly from seed, as fire also stimulates the opening of seed-bearing follicles and the germination of seed in the ground.  The remaining species usually survive bushfire, either by resprouting from a woody base known as a [[lignotuber]] or, more rarely, [[Epicormic shoot|epicormic buds]] protected by thick bark. In [[Western Australia]], banksias of the first group are known as 'seeders' and the second group as 'sprouters'.<ref name="Lamont 1995">{{cite journal |last1=Lamont |first1=Byron B. | author-link1=Byron Lamont |last2=Markey |first2=Adrienne |year=1995 |title=Biogeography of Fire-killed and Resprouting ''Banksia'' Species in South-western Australia |journal=Australian Journal of Botany |volume=43 |issue=3 |pages=283–303 |doi=10.1071/BT9950283 |bibcode=1995AuJB...43..283L }}</ref>

[[Image:Banksia attenuata response to fire Burma Rd email.jpg|thumb|''[[Banksia attenuata]]'' resprouting after fire, Burma Road Nature Reserve, WA]]
Infrequent bushfires at expected intervals pose no threat, and are in fact beneficial for regeneration of ''banksia'' populations. However, too frequent bushfires can seriously reduce or even eliminate populations from certain areas, by killing seedlings and young plants before they reach fruiting age.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Wooller |first1=S. J. |last2=Wooller |first2=R. D. |last3=Brown |first3=K. L. |title=Regeneration by three species of ''Banksia'' on the south coast of Western Australia in relation to fire interval |journal=Australian Journal of Botany |volume=50 |issue=3 |year=2002 |pages=311–317 |doi=10.1071/BT01078 |bibcode=2002AuJB...50..311W }}</ref> Many fires near urban areas are caused by arson, and thus the frequency is often much higher than fires would have been prior to human habitation. Furthermore, residents who live in areas near bushland may pressure local councils to burn areas near homes more frequently, to reduce fuel-load in the bush and thus reduce ferocity of future fires. Unfortunately there are often discrepancies in agreed frequency between these groups and conservation groups.

===Dieback===
Another threat to ''Banksia'' is the [[water mould]] ''[[Phytophthora cinnamomi]]'', commonly known as "dieback". Dieback attacks the roots of plants, destroying the structure of the root tissues, "rotting" the root, and preventing the plant from absorbing water and nutrients. ''Banksia'''s [[proteoid root]]s, which help it to survive in low-nutrient soils, make it highly susceptible to this [[disease]]. All Western Australian species are vulnerable, although most eastern species are fairly resistant.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Mccredie |first1=TA |last2=Dixon |first2=KW |last3=Sivasithamparam |first3=K |title=Variability in the Resistance of Banksia L.f. Species to ''Phytophthora cinnamomi'' Rands |journal=Australian Journal of Botany |volume=33 |issue=6 |year=1985 |pages=629–637 |doi=10.1071/BT9850629 |bibcode=1985AuJB...33..629M }}</ref>

Vulnerable plants typically die within a few years of infection. In [[southwest Australia|southwest]] Western Australia, where dieback infestation is widespread, infested areas of ''Banksia'' forest typically have less than 30% of the cover of uninfested areas. Plant deaths in such large proportions can have a profound influence on the makeup of plant communities. For example, in southwestern Australia ''Banksia'' often occurs as an understorey to forests of [[jarrah]] (''Eucalyptus marginata''), another species highly vulnerable to dieback. Infestation kills both the jarrah overstorey and the original ''Banksia'' understorey, and over time these may be replaced by a more open woodland consisting of an overstorey of the resistant marri (''[[Corymbia calophylla]]''), and an understorey of the somewhat resistant ''[[Banksia sessilis]]'' (parrot bush).<ref name="Impact of Dieback">{{cite web| title=Impacts in WA| work=Managing Dieback| url=http://www.naturebase.net/content/view/213/548/1/2/| publisher=[[Department of Environment and Conservation (Western Australia)]]| access-date=2007-02-21| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070903013916/http://www.naturebase.net/content/view/213/548/1/2/| archive-date=3 September 2007| url-status=dead}}</ref>

A number of species of ''Banksia'' are threatened by dieback. Nearly every known wild population of ''B.&nbsp;brownii'' shows some signs of dieback infection, which could possibly wipe it out within years.<ref name="SPRAT brownii">{{SPRAT | id=8277 | name = Banksia brownii}}</ref><ref name="Brown 1998">{{cite book |editor1-last=Brown |editor1-first=Andrew |editor2-last=Thomson-Dans |editor2-first=Carolyn |editor3-last=Marchant |editor3-first=Neville | year = 1998 | title = Western Australia's Threatened Flora | location = Como, Western Australia | publisher = Department of Conservation and Land Management | isbn = 978-0-7309-6875-7 | oclc = 183084186}}{{Page needed|date=August 2016}}</ref> Other vulnerable species include ''B.&nbsp;cuneata'', and ''B.&nbsp;verticillata''.

Dieback is notoriously difficult to treat, although there has been some success with [[phosphite]] and [[phosphorous acid]], which are currently used to inoculate wild ''B.&nbsp;brownii'' populations. However this is not without potential problems as it alters the soil composition by adding [[phosphorus]]. Some evidence suggests that phosphorous acid may inhibit proteoid root formation.<ref name="Murdoch">{{cite web | work = Second International IUFRO meeting | title = Phytophthora in forests and natural ecosystems | url = http://wwwscience.murdoch.edu.au/conf/phytophthora/abstract-wed.html | publisher = [[Murdoch University]] | access-date = 2006-06-26 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060720090304/http://wwwscience.murdoch.edu.au/conf/phytophthora/abstract-wed.html | archive-date = 20 July 2006 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

Because dieback thrives in moist soil conditions, it can be a severe problem for banksias that are watered, such as in the cut flower industry and urban gardens.

==Uses==
[[Image:Banksia media maranoa email.jpg|right|thumb|A dwarf form of ''[[Banksia media|B.&nbsp;media]]'' (Southern Plains Banksia), a popular garden plant, cultivated [[Maranoa Gardens]], Victoria]]
[[Image:Banksia baxteri Stahl email.jpg|right|thumb|''[[Banksia baxteri|B.&nbsp;baxteri]]'' (Birds Nest Banksia), a species used in the cut flower trade, cultivated near [[Colac, Victoria]]]]

===Gardening===
Most of species are shrubs, only few of them can be found as trees and they are very popular because of their size, the tallest species are: ''[[Banksia integrifolia|B.&nbsp;integrifolia]]'' having its subspecies [[Banksia integrifolia subsp. monticola|''B.&nbsp;integrifolia'' subsp. ''monticola'']] notable for reaching the biggest size for the genus and it is the most frost tolerant in this genus, ''[[Banksia seminuda|B.&nbsp;seminuda]]'', ''[[Banksia littoralis|B.&nbsp;littoralis]]'', ''[[Banksia serrata|B.&nbsp;serrata]]''; species that can grow as small trees or big shrubs: ''[[Banksia grandis|B.&nbsp;grandis]]'', ''[[Banksia prionotes|B.&nbsp;prionotes]]'', ''[[Banksia marginata|B.&nbsp;marginata]]'', ''[[Banksia coccinea|B.&nbsp;coccinea]]'', ''[[Banksia speciosa|B.&nbsp;speciosa]]'' and ''[[Banksia menziesii|B.&nbsp;menziesii]]''. Due to their size these species are popularly planted in parks, gardens and streets, the remaining species in this genus are only shrubs.

Banksias are popular garden plants in Australia because of their large, showy flower heads, and because the large amounts of [[nectar]] they produce attracts [[birds]] and small [[mammal]]s.  Popular garden species include ''B.&nbsp;spinulosa'', ''B.&nbsp;ericifolia'', [[Banksia aemula|''B.&nbsp;aemula'']] (Wallum Banksia ), [[Banksia serrata|''B.&nbsp;serrata'']] (Saw Banksia), ''[[Banksia media]]'' (Southern Plains Banksia) and the [[cultivar]] [[Banksia 'Giant Candles'|''Banksia'' 'Giant Candles']].  ''Banksia'' species are primarily propagated by seed in the home garden as cuttings can be difficult to strike. However, commercial nurserymen extensively utilize the latter method (indeed, cultivars by nature must be vegetatively propagated by cuttings or grafting).

Over time, dwarf cultivars and prostrate species are becoming more popular as urban gardens grow ever smaller. These include miniature forms under 50&nbsp;cm high of ''B.&nbsp;spinulosa'' and ''B.&nbsp;media'', as well as prostrate species such as ''[[Banksia petiolaris|B.&nbsp;petiolaris]]'' and ''[[Banksia blechnifolia|B.&nbsp;blechnifolia]]''.

Banksias possibly require more maintenance than other Australian natives, though are fairly hardy if the right conditions are provided (sunny aspect and well drained sandy soil).
They may need extra water during dry spells until established, which can take up to two years.  If fertilised, only slow-release, low-[[phosphorus]] [[fertilizer]] should be used, as the [[proteoid root]]s may be damaged by high [[nutrient]] levels in the soil. All respond well to some form of pruning.

Within the Australian horticultural community there is an active subculture of ''Banksia'' enthusiasts who seek out interesting flower variants, breed and propagate cultivars, exchange materials and undertake research into cultivation problems and challenges. The main forum for exchange of information within this group is [[ASGAP]]'s ''Banksia Study Group''.{{sfn|Collins|Collins|George|2008|p=83}}

===Cut flower industry===
With the exception of the [[nursery (horticulture)|nursery]] [[Industry (economics)|industry]], ''Banksia'' have limited commercial use.  Some species, principally ''[[Banksia coccinea|B.&nbsp;coccinea]]'' (scarlet banksia), ''[[Banksia baxteri|B.&nbsp;baxteri]]'', ''[[Banksia hookeriana|B.&nbsp;hookeriana]]'' (Hooker's banksia), ''[[Banksia sceptrum|B.&nbsp;sceptrum]]'' (sceptre banksia), and ''[[Banksia prionotes|B.&nbsp;prionotes]]'' (acorn banksia), and less commonly  ''[[Banksia speciosa|B.&nbsp;speciosa]]'' (showy banksia), ''[[Banksia menziesii|B.&nbsp;menziesii]]'' (Menzies' banksia),  ''[[Banksia burdettii|B.&nbsp;burdettii]]'' and ''[[Banksia ashbyi|B.&nbsp;ashbyi]]'' are grown on farms in Western and Southern Australia, as well as Israel and Hawaii, and the flower heads harvested for the [[cut flower industry|cut flower trade]]. Eastern species, such as ''B. ericifolia'', ''B. robur'' and ''B. plagiocarpa'', are sometimes cultivated for this purpose.{{sfn|Collins|Collins|George|2008|p=53}} The nectar is also sought by [[beekeeper]]s, not for the quality of the dark-coloured [[honey]], which is often poor, but because the trees provide an abundant and reliable source of nectar at times when other sources provide little.{{sfn|Collins|Collins|George|2008|p=57}}
[[Image:Woodworked Banksia grandis email.jpg|left|thumb|upright=0.6|Woodworked ''[[Banksia grandis]]'' cone]]

===Woodworking===
''Banksia'' [[wood]] is reddish in color with an attractive grain but it is rarely used as it warps badly on drying.  It is occasionally used for ornamental purposes in wood turning and cabinet paneling. It has also been used to make [[keel]]s for small [[boat]]s. Historically, the wood of certain species such as ''B. serrata'' was used for yokes and boat parts.<ref name = "Salkin79">{{cite book  | last = Salkin  | first = Abraham Isaac | title = Variation In Banksia in Eastern Australia: An Investigation Using Experimental Methods  | publisher = Monash University  | date = 1979  | location = Clayton, Victoria  | page = 239  }}</ref> The large "cones" or seed pods of ''B.&nbsp;grandis'' are used for [[woodturning]] projects. They are also sliced up and sold as [[beverage coaster|drink coasters]]; these are generally marketed as [[souvenir]]s for international [[tourism|tourists]].  Woodturners throughout the world value ''Banksia'' pods for making ornamental objects.

===Indigenous uses===
The [[Indigenous Australians|Indigenous]] people of south-western Australia would suck on the flower spikes to obtain the nectar, they also soaked the flower spikes in water to make a sweet drink.<ref name="Wheeler 2003">{{cite book|author = Wheeler, Judy | year = 2003 | title = Common Trees of the South-West Forests | publisher = Department of Conservation and Land Management | isbn = 978-0-7309-6961-7|oclc = 35655910 }}{{Page needed|date=August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | author=J. H. Maiden | year=1889 | title=The useful native plants of Australia : Including Tasmania | publisher= Turner and Henderson, Sydney | url=https://primo-slnsw.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=SLNSW_ALMA21105097830002626&context=L&vid=SLNSW&search_scope=EEA&tab=default_tab&lang=en_US}}</ref><ref name="John Horsfall-2016">{{Cite Q|Q113330855|pages=16}}</ref> The [[Noongar|Noongar people]] of southwest Western Australia also used infusions of the flower spikes to relieve coughs and sore throats.<ref name="John Horsfall-2016" /> The [[Girai wurrung]] peoples of the western district of Victoria used the spent flower cones to strain water by placing the cones in their mouths and using them like a straw.<ref>Dawson, 1881. Australian Aborigines – the language and customs of several tribes of Aborigines in the Western district of Victoria. Page 22.</ref> ''Banksia'' trees are a reliable source of insect larvae which are extracted as food.

==Cultural references==
===Field guides and other technical resources===
[[Image:Banksia books.jpg|right|thumb|Some of the better known books on the genus]]
A number of field guides and other semi-technical books on the genus have been published. These include:
;Field Guide to Banksias
:Written by Ivan Holliday and Geoffrey Watton and first published in 1975, this book contained descriptions and colour photographs of species known at the time. It was largely outdated by the publication of Alex George's classic 1981 monograph, but a revised and updated second edition was released in 1990.

;''[[The Banksias]]''
:This three volume monograph contains [[watercolour painting]]s of every ''Banksia'' species by renowned [[botanical illustrator]] [[Celia Rosser]], with accompanying text by Alex George. Its publication represents the first time that such a large genus has been entirely painted. Published by Academic Press in association with [[Monash University]], the three volumes were published in 1981, 1988 and 2000 respectively.

;The ''Banksia'' Book
:Begun by Australian photographer [[Fred Humphreys]] and Charles Gardner, both of whom died before its completion, ''The Banksia Book'' was eventually completed by Alex George and first published in 1984. It included every species known at the time, with a second edition appearing in 1987 and third in 1996.

;[[The Banksia Atlas|The ''Banksia'' Atlas]]
:In 1983 the [[Australian Biological Resources Study]] (ABRS) decided to pilot an Australia-wide distribution study of a significant plant genus. ''Banksia'' was chosen because it was a high-profile, widely distributed genus that was easily identified, but for which distribution and habitat was poorly known. The study mobilised over 400 volunteers, collecting over 25,000 field observations over a two-year period. Outcomes included the discovery of two new species, as well as new varieties and some rare colour variants, and discoveries of previously unknown populations of rare and threatened species. The collated data was used to create ''[[The Banksia Atlas]]'', which was first published in 1988.<ref name="Taylor 1988">{{The Banksia Atlas}}</ref>

;Banksias, Waratahs and Grevilleas and all other plants in the Australian Proteaceae family
:Written by J. W. Wrigley and M. Fagg, this was published by Collins Publishers in 1989. A comprehensive text on all the Proteaceae genera with good historical notes and an overview of the 1975 Johnson & Briggs classification. It is out of print and hard to find.

===May Gibb's "Banksia men"===
{{Multiple image|direction=vertical|align=right|image1=Banksia seed pod.jpg|image2=Banksia man.png|width=220|caption1=''B.&nbsp;aemula'' seed pod, [[Australian National Botanic Gardens|ANBG]], [[Canberra]], a possible inspiration for Gibbs|caption2=A Banksia man, from [[May Gibbs]]' ''[[Snugglepot and Cuddlepie]]''}}
Perhaps the best known cultural reference to ''Banksia'' is the "big bad Banksia men" of [[May Gibbs]]' children's book ''[[Snugglepot and Cuddlepie]]''. Gibb's "Banksia men" are modelled on the appearance of aged ''Banksia'' "cones", with follicles for eyes and other facial features. There is some contention over which species actually provided the inspiration for the "Banksia men": the drawings most resemble the old cones of ''B.&nbsp;aemula'' or ''B.&nbsp;serrata'', but ''[[Banksia attenuata|B.&nbsp;attenuata]]'' (slender banksia) has also been cited, as this was the species that Gibbs saw as a child in Western Australia.{{sfn|Collins|Collins|George|2008|p=68}}

===Other cultural references===
In 1989, the [[Banksia Environmental Foundation]] was created to support and recognise people and organizations that make a positive contribution to the environment. The Foundation launched the annual Banksia Environmental Awards in the same year.<ref name="BEF">{{cite web | url = http://www.banksiafdn.com/index.php?page=4 | title = Introduction and History | work = Banksia Environmental Foundation | access-date = 2006-07-11| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060824171724/http://banksiafdn.com/index.php?page=4| archive-date= 24 August 2006 | url-status= live}}</ref>

Announced in June 2023, the exoplanet [[WASP-19b]] was named "Banksia" in the third [[NameExoWorlds]] competition. The approved name was proposed by a team from Brandon Park Primary School in Wheelers Hill ([[Melbourne]], Australia), led by scientist Lance Kelly and teacher David Maierhofer,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/pages/DrBradTucker/100063510852713|title=Facebook post|website=www.facebook.com}} {{better source needed|date=March 2024}}</ref> after various types of ''Banksia'' plants.<ref>2022 Approved Names". nameexoworlds.iau.org. IAU. Retrieved 7 June 2023</ref>

==Selected species==
[[File:Banksia ashbyii leaf 02.jpg|thumb|leaf cell structure of a ''B.ashbyi'']]
{{main|List of Banksia species}}
*''[[Banksia archaeocarpa|B.&nbsp;archaeocarpa]]''†
*''[[Banksia attenuata|B.&nbsp;attenuata]]''
*''[[Banksia integrifolia|B.&nbsp;integrifolia]]''
*''[[Banksia seminuda|B.&nbsp;seminuda]]''
*''[[Banksia ericifolia|B.&nbsp;ericifolia]]''
*''[[Banksia grandis|B.&nbsp;grandis]]''
*''[[Banksia marginata|B.&nbsp;marginata]]''
*''[[Banksia prionotes|B.&nbsp;prionotes]]''
*''[[Banksia dentata|B.&nbsp;dentata]]''
*''[[Banksia novae-zelandiae|B.&nbsp;novae-zelandiae]]''†
*''[[Banksia spinulosa|B.&nbsp;spinulosa]]''
*''[[Banksia sphaerocarpa|B.&nbsp;sphaerocarpa]]''
*''[[Banksia sessilis|B.&nbsp;sessilis]]''
*''[[Banksia nobilis|B.&nbsp;nobilis]]''
*''[[Banksia dellanneyi|B.&nbsp;dallanneyi]]''
*''[[Banksia praemorsa|B.&nbsp;praemorsa]]''
*''[[Banksia repens|B.&nbsp;repens]]''
*''[[Banksia rosserae|B.&nbsp;rosserae]]''
*''[[Banksia elderiana|B.&nbsp;elderiana]]''
*''[[Banksia solandri|B.&nbsp;solandri]]''
*''[[Banksia oreophila|B.&nbsp;oreophila]]''
*''[[Banksia brownii|B.&nbsp;brownii]]''
*''[[Banksia montana|B.&nbsp;montana]]''
*''[[Banksia goodii|B.&nbsp;goodii]]'' (Good's Banksia)
*''[[Banksia tricuspis|B.&nbsp;tricuspis]]'' (Pine Banksia)
*''[[Banksia verticillata|B.&nbsp;verticillata]]'' (Granite Banksia)
*''[[Banksia subg. Isostylis|Isostylis]]''
**''[[Banksia cuneata|B.&nbsp;cuneata]]'' (Matchstick Banksia)
**''[[Banksia ilicifolia|B.&nbsp;ilicifolia]]'' (Holly-leaved Banksia)
**''[[Banksia oligantha|B.&nbsp;oligantha]]'' (Wagin Banksia)

== See also ==
* ''[[Banksiamyces]]''

==Notes==
{{Reflist|34em}}

== References ==
{{Div col|colwidth=31em}}
* {{cite book|last=Boland |first=D. J.|year=1984|title=Forest Trees of Australia (Fourth edition revised and enlarged)|publisher=CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Victoria, Australia|isbn=978-0-643-05423-3|oclc=30628509|display-authors=etal}}.
* {{cite book |title=Banksias |last1=Collins |first1=Kevin |last2=Collins |first2=Kathy |last3=George |first3=A. S. |author-link3=Alex George (botanist) |year=2008 |publisher=Bloomings Books Pty Ltd |location=Melbourne |isbn=978-1-876473-68-6 }}
* {{cite journal|last=George |first=A. S.|year=1981|title=The Genus ''Banksia''|journal=Nuytsia|volume=3|issue=3|pages=239&ndash;473|doi=10.58828/nuy00060 |s2cid=196677407 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/229589 |author-link=Alex George (botanist)}}
* {{cite book|last=George |first=A. S.|year=1993|title=The Banksia Book|publisher=Kangaroo Press|isbn=978-0-864-17143-6|author-link=Alex George (botanist) }}
* {{cite book|last=George |first=A. S.|year=1999|chapter=Banksia|editor=Wilson, Annette|title=Flora of Australia: Volume 17B: Proteaceae 3: Hakea to Dryandra|pages=175&ndash;251|publisher=CSIRO Publishing / Australian Biological Resources Study|isbn=978-0-643-06454-6|author-link=Alex George (botanist)}}
* {{cite book|last=Harden |first=Gwen|year=2002|chapter=Banksia|editor=Harden, Gwen|title=Flora of New South Wales: Volume 2|pages=82&ndash;86|publisher=New South Wales University Press, Kensington|isbn=978-0-86840-156-0|edition=Revised}}
* {{The Banksia Atlas}}
*{{cite journal |last1=Thiele |first1=K |last2=Ladiges |first2=PY |title=A cladistic analysis of Banksia (Proteaceae) |journal=Australian Systematic Botany |volume=9 |issue=5 |date=1996 |pages=661–733 |doi=10.1071/SB9960661 |bibcode=1996AuSyB...9..661T }}
*{{cite book | last1 = Wrigley | first1 = John |last2=Fagg |first2=Murray  | title = Banksias, Waratahs and Grevilleas | year = 1991 | publisher = Angus & Robertson | location = Sydney, New South Wales | isbn = 978-0-207-17277-9}}
{{Div col end}}

==External links==
{{Sister project links|auto=1|s=Category:Banksia}}
* {{Flora of Australia Online|name=''Banksia''}}
* {{FloraBase|name=''Banksia'' L.f.}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080310141432/http://asgap.org.au/banksia.html The Banksia Page] of [[ASGAP]]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080316005750/http://asgap.org.au/banksSG/index.html Banksia Study Group] of [[ASGAP]]
* [http://www.banksiafarm.com.au Banksia Farm], Private collection of all Banksia Species, Mount Barker, Western Australia

{{Proteaceae genera}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q131258}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}

[[Category:Banksia| ]]
[[Category:Banksia taxa by common name]]
[[Category:Banksia taxa by scientific name|*Banksia]]
[[Category:Proteaceae genera]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus the Younger]]