Rank Variety | Genus Banksia Series Banksia ser. Dryandra | |
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Banksia armata var. ignicida is a variety of shrub endemic to Western Australia.
Contents
Description
B. armata var. ignicida grows as an upright shrub, up to three metres in height, with deeply serrated leaves and yellow or sometimes pink inflorescences. Unlike B. armata var. armata, it lacks a lignotuber.
Distribution and habitat
It occurs through much of the south-west, being widespread between Pingelly and Katanning, and also between Esperance and Israelite Bay. It grows amongst tall scrub on a range of sandy and rocky soils.
Taxonomy
Specimens of B. armata were first collected in 1801, and the species was published in 1810 as Dryandra armata. In 1996, Alex George published D. armata var. ignicida based on a type specimen collected by him east of Woodanilling. The varietal epithet is from the Latin ignis ("fire") and -cidus ("killing"), in reference to the fact that this variety is killed by fire (because it lacks a lignotuber). In 2007, all Dryandra species were transferred to Banksia by Austin Mast and Kevin Thiele; hence the current name of this variety is Banksia armata var. ignicida (A.S.George) A.R.Mast & K.R.Thiele.