BANKSIA (named in honour of Sir Joseph Banks, once President of the Royal Society, and a distinguished patron of science, particularly of Natural History). ORD. Proteaceae. Greenhouse evergreen shrubs, natives of Australia, principally grown for the beauty of their foliage. Leaves variable in form, usually dark green, clothed with white or rufous down beneath; margins deeply serrated or spinous, rarely entire. The following is the mode of culture recommended many years ago by Sweet. The pots should be well drained, by placing a potsherd about half way over the hole at the bottom of the pot, then laying another piece against it that it may be hollow, afterwards putting some smaller pieces all around them, and on the top of these some others broken very small. All the plants belonging to the order Proteaceae should be drained in a similar manner, as the roots are very fond of running amongst the broken potsherds, and consequently there is less danger of their being overwatered. Care must also be taken not to allow them to flag, as they seldom recover if once allowed to get very dry. The plants should be placed in an airy part of the house when indoors. Cuttings are generally supposed to be difficult to root, but this is not the case if properly managed. Let them be well ripened before they are taken off; then cut them at a joint, and place them in pots of sand, without shortening any of the leaves, except on the part that is planted in the sand, where they should be taken off quite close. The less depth they are planted in the pots the better, so long as they stand firm when the sand is well closed round them. Place them under hand glasses in the propagating house, but do not plunge them in heat. Take the glasses off frequently to give them air, and dry them, or they will probably damp off. When rooted, transfer to small pots; after which, place them in a close, unheated frame, and harden by degrees. Seeds are a very unsatisfactory means of multiplying the stock. BANKSIA aemula (rivalling).* l. 6in. to 10in. long, 1in. broad, linear-oblong, tapering slightly at the base; edges deeply toothed, deep green on both sides; midrib of under surface clothed with rich brown hairs. h. 20ft. 1824. SYN. BANKSIA elatior. (B. M. 2671.) BANKSIA australis (southern). A synonym of BANKSIA marginata. BANKSIA Caleyi (Caley's). l. 6in. to 12in. long, linear, deeply and regularly toothed from base to apex, dark green above, paler below. h. 5ft. to 6ft. 1830. Said to be an elegant species. BANKSIA collina (hill-loving).* l. 2in. to 3in. long, 1/2in. broad, linear; apex praemorse, as if bitten straight off; upper surface dark green, silvery below. h. 6ft. to 8ft. 1822. This forms a dense and handsome shrub, especially with its large head of yellow flowers. SYNS. BANKSIA Cunninghami, BANKSIA ledifolia, and BANKSIA littoralis. (B. M. 3060.) BANKSIA Cunninghami (Cunningham's). A synonym of BANKSIA collina. BANKSIA dryandroides (Dryandra-like).* l. 6in. to 10in. long, 1/4in. broad, pinnatifid, divided almost to the midrib; lobes triangular, deep green above, and reddish-brown below. Stem clothed with reddish-brown hairs. h. 6ft. 1824. This plant is extremely graceful and elegant as a table decoration. BANKSIA elatior (taller). Synonymous with BANKSIA oemula. BANKSIA integrifolia (entire-leaved). l. cuneate-oblong, 6in. long, nearly 1in. wide at the broadest part; edges entire; upper side dark green, silvery white beneath. h. 10ft. to 12ft. 1788. SYNS. BANKSIA macrophylla, BANKSIA oleifolia. (B. M. 2770.) BANKSIA i. compar (well-matched). l. very densely set upon the branches, oblong, tapering at the base, blunt at the apex; edges serrulate; upper side dark olive green, silvery white beneath. h. 6ft., finely branching. 1824. BANKSIA latifolia (broad-leaved). l. 6in. to 10in. long, 3in. broad, obovate-oblong; edges serrated; upper surface deep green, beneath clothed with woolly greyish hairs, those on the midrib bright brown. h. 20ft. 1802. (B. M. 2406.) BANKSIA ledifolia (Ledum-leaved). Synonymous with BANKSIA collina. BANKSIA littoralis (shore). Synonymous with BANKSIA collina. BANKSIA macrophylla (large-leaved). Synonymous with BANKSIA integrifolia. BANKSIA marginata (margined). l. 1in. to 2in. long, 1/2in. broad, blunt at the apex, armed with several short spines, and tapering at the base, deep green on the upper surface, snowy white beneath. h. 5ft. to 6ft. 1822. SYN. BANKSIA australis. (B. M. 1947.) BANKSIA occidentalis (western).* fl. yellow, rather handsome, in spikes about 4in. long. April to August. l. 5in. to 6in. long, 1/4in. broad. h. 5ft. 1803. West coast of New Holland. A beautiful species. (B. M. 3535.) BANKSIA oleifolia (Olive-leaved). Synonymous with BANKSIA integrifolia. BANKSIA Solanderi (Solander's).* l. 4in. to 6in. long, and over 2in. wide, deeply pinnatifid, with three to six pairs of lobes on each leaf; apex as if bitten off; upper side dark green, under silvery white. h. 6ft. 1830. BANKSIA speciosa (showy).* l. 8in. to 14in. long, about 1/2in. wide, pinnatifid, but divided almost to the midrib; lobes semicircular, with a spine on the end of each; upper side deep green, beneath silvery white, with the midrib clothed with ferruginous woolly hairs. h. 6ft. 1805. Both this and the preceding species are very handsome, and highly deserving of the most extensive culture. BANKSIA quercifolia (Oak-leaved). l. cuneate-oblong, deeply incised at the margins, and having a short spine upon each lobe. h. 5ft. 1805. (B. R. 1430.) BANKSIA nitida (shining). fl. white; corolla with a roundish spreading vexillum, linear wings, which are about the length of the vexillum, and an acute carina; pedicels two to three together, one-flowered axillary. June. l. entire, oval-oblong, acuminated, shining h. 30ft. Sierra Leone, 1793. (L. B. C. 367.)