Banksia ericifolia L.f., Proteaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 9 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: heath banksia, heath-leaf banksia

Habit:  shrub/tree

Description:  "Shrub to 6 m tall, without lignotuber, sometimes a small tree. Bark smooth with lenticels, becoming corky. Stems sparsely hairy. Leaves alternate, crowded; petiole 1-2 mm long; lamina narrowly linear, 9-20 mm long, 0.7-1 mm wide, truncate but mucronate; margins revolute, with a tooth each side of apex; upper surface sparsely hirsute, glabrescent; lower surface tomentose. Inflorescence 7-22 cm long; involucral bracts narrow, pubescent, persistent. Flowers golden brown to pale yellow, often mauve at base; styles golden, orange or orange-red. Perianth 19-22 mm long including limb of 2.5-3 mm, pubescent outside, hirsute inside along margins. Pistil hooked, 30-35 mm long, glabrous; pollen presenter ovoid, 0.5 mm long. Old perianths persistent but styles soon falling. Follicles numerous, oblong to rhombic, 13-22 mm long, 6-10 mm high, 4-13 mm wide, ridged along each side and convex on top, hirsute. Seed obovate, 17-20 mm long; seed body cuneate, 9-10 mm long, 4-5 mm wide, smooth outside, swollen and somewhat ridged inside.

There are two subspecies.
subsp. ericifolia:  Seedling leaves with 2-6 teeth on each margin; perianth 19-22 mm long; pistil 30-35 mm long
subsp. macrantha:  Seedling leaves with 1, rarely 2, teeth on each margin; perianth 26-28 mm long; pistil 46-48 mm long"  (Flora of Australia online).

Habitat/ecology:  In New South Wales, Australia (native), "grows in heath, dry sclerophyll forest and woodland, widespread on the coast and ranges"  (New South Wales PlantNET).  "Killed by fire and regenerates from seed. Follicles usually opening with fire"  (Flora of Australia online).

Propagation:  Seed, usually dispersed after fire or other disturbance.

Native range:  Eastern New South Wales, Australia (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island		Bishop Museum (U.S.A. Hawaii. Honolulu.) (1990) (voucher ID: BISH 588583) Taxon name on voucher: Banksia ericifolia

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	New South Wales	native	Australian Biological Resources Study (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Banksia ericifolia, please let us know.