the family Proteaceae native to north Queensland on Australia's
northeastern coastline. With an average height of 8 m (26 ft), it has
narrow glossy green leaves up to 20 cm (7.9 in) long and 6 to 10 cm
(2.4 to 3.9 in) high pale yellow flower spikes, known as inflorescences,
appearing in autumn. As the spikes age, their flowers fall off and they
develop up to 50 follicles, each of which contains 2 seeds. Alex
George described the plant in his 1981 monograph of the genus Banksia
as a variety of Banksia integrifolia, but later reclassified it as a
separate species. The species is found in wet sclerophyll forest and
rainforest margins on sandy soils. Banksia aquilonia regenerates after
bushfire by regrowing from epicormic buds under its bark, although
regeneration from root suckers has also been recorded. It adapts readily
to cultivation in humid or temperate climates, but is rarely cultivated.
A fast-growing plant, it can grow in acidic soils from pH 3.5 to 6.5.
Its inflorescences are energy-rich sources of food, and nectar is a food
item of many animals and birds, including the endangered mahogany
glider.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banksia_aquilonia>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
1891:
Pope Leo XIII issued the encyclical Rerum Novarum, that
addressed the condition of the working classes and is considered to be
the foundation of modern Catholic social teaching.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rerum_Novarum>
1905:
Las Vegas (welcome sign pictured) was established as railroad
town, after 110 acres (0.45 km2) owned by the San Pedro, Los Angeles
and Salt Lake Railroad was auctioned off.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Vegas>
1948:
The Australian cricket team, on tour in England set a first-
class world record that still stands by scoring 721 runs in a day
against Essex.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_cricket_team_in_England_in_1948>
1953:
Don Murphy organized the first pinewood derby, an event for Cub
Scouts of the Boy Scouts of America where wooden cars built by the
scouts are raced.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinewood_derby>
1966:
Disapproving of his handling of the Buddhist Uprising, South
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Cao Ky ordered an attack on the forces
of General Ton That Dinh and ousted him from the position.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ton_That_Dinh>
2010:
Upon her return to Sydney three days before her 17th birthday,
Jessica Watson became the youngest person to sail non-stop and
unassisted around the world.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessica_Watson>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
plangent:
Having a loud, mournful sound.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/plangent>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
I think the world is like a great mirror, and reflects our lives
just as we ourselves look upon it. Those who turn sad faces toward the
world find only sadness reflected. But a smile is reflected in the same
way, and cheers and brightens our hearts.
--L. Frank Baum
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/L._Frank_Baum>
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