Banksia spinulosa var. cunninghamii at Mount Imlay National Park

Hairpin Banksia at Mount Imlay National Park

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Identification history

	Banksia spinulosa var. cunninghamii	27 Oct 2018	BettyDonWood
	Banksia spinulosa var. cunninghamii	27 Oct 2018	JackieMiles

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Author's notes

Growing on the top of Mt Imlay, a small tree rather than a shrub, with leaves about 4mm wide (some entire, some a bit toothed), and florets with hooked styles. Has to be either spinulosa or cunninghamii, and I think it is the latter, despite having white leaf undersides, rather than brownish as stated in the Flora of NSW. Close inspection of the leaf underside shows a hint of brown on the midrib. It looks quite dissimilar to all my previous photos of spinulosa var spinulosa. Looked to have recently finished flowering.

2 comments

BettyDonWood wrote:

28 Oct 2018

The key to Banksia in Plantnet, in the lead separating spinulosa from three other species including cunninghamii, says the backs of the leaves of the three species can be white, grey, or brown, while spinulosa leaves are tightly revolute, concealing the lower surface, If you can see the lower surface it suggests cunninghamii rather than spinulosa to me.

JackieMiles wrote:

29 Oct 2018

OK, thanks Betty. Pleased to hear they have improved the key. I was going on the paper version.

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