Definition of banksia Banksia

bank•si•a

We found 4 definitions of banksia from 4 different sources.

What does banksia mean?

Noun Plural: banksias
banksia - any shrub or tree of the genus Banksia having alternate leathery leaves apetalous yellow flowers often in showy heads and conelike fruit with winged seeds
		shrub, bush a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
		genus banksia important genus of Australian evergreen shrubs or trees with alternate leathery leaves and yellowish flowers

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banksia
bangk′sia, n. a genus of Australian shrubs, named in honour of Sir Joseph Banks (1744-1820)

Banksia is a genus of plants common to Australia, they were named after Joseph Banks. The Banksia are noted for there unique flowering.

It is a genus of around 80 species in the plant family Proteaceae. As Australian wildflowers and popular garden plants, they are easily recognised by their characteristic flower spikes and fruiting "cones" and can vary from woody shrubs to trees up to 30 metres tall. They are generally found in a wide variety of landscapes; (occasionally) rainforest, shrubland, and some more arid landscapes, though not in Australia's deserts.

Heavy producers of nectar, banksias form a vital part of the food chain in the Australian bush. They are an important food source for all sorts of nectariferous animals, including birds, bats, rats, possums and a host of invertebrates. Furthermore, they are of economic importance to Australia's nursery and cut flower industries. However these plants are threatened by a number of processes including land clearing, frequent burning and disease, and a number of species are rare and endangered.