flowering plant in the genus Banksia. It is a gnarled tree up to 10 m
(33 ft) tall or, in its northern range, a spreading shrub. The serrated
leaves are dull green with new growth a paler grey green. The autumn and
winter inflorescences are often two-coloured red or pink and yellow.
First described by the botanist Robert Brown in the early 19th century,
no separate varieties of B. menziesii are recognised. It is found in
Western Australia, from the Perth region north to the Murchison River,
and generally grows on sandy soils in scrubland or low woodland. It
provides food for an array of invertebrate and vertebrate animals;
honeyeaters and other birds are prominent visitors. A relatively hardy
plant, B. menziesii is commonly seen in gardens, nature strips and parks
in Australian urban areas with Mediterranean climates, but its
sensitivity to root rot makes it short-lived in places with humid
summers. It is widely used in the cut flower industry in Australia and
overseas.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banksia_menziesii>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1594:
Sinhalese–Portuguese War: Portugal had almost conquered the
island of Sri Lanka when its army was completely annihilated, ending the
Campaign of Danture.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campaign_of_Danture>
1845:
Anglican priest John Henry Newman, who wished to return the
Church of England to many Catholic beliefs, was formally received into
the Roman Catholic Church.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Henry_Newman>
1914:
World War I: Belgian troops in Antwerp surrendered, allowing
the German army to capture the city.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Antwerp_(1914)>
1970:
The Khmer Republic, headed by General Lon Nol and Prince
Sisowath Sirik Matak, was proclaimed in Cambodia.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khmer_Republic>
2012:
Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai was shot at by a Taliban
gunman in a failed assassination attempt.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malala_Yousafzai>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
fictionary:
A parlor game in which participants invent definitions for an unfamiliar
word found in a dictionary, and as one person reads them out, the others
try to guess which one is the correct definition.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/fictionary>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
I'm not claiming divinity. I've never claimed purity of soul. I've
never claimed to have the answers to life. I only put out songs and
answer questions as honestly as I can … But I still believe in peace,
love and understanding.
--John Lennon
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_Lennon>
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