generation; resprouters survive fire, resprouting from a lignotuber or, more rarely, epicormic buds protected by thick bark. B. oligantha is a reseeder; it has thin bark, and lacks a lignotuber, so it is killed by fire. However, the species is weakly serotinous: fire triggers seed release, yet seed release still occurs in the absence of fire. Seed germination rates are quite high. One study found germination rates better than 77% in most batches tested. Seed is likely to remain viable for a long time, as seed of the closely related B. cuneata remains viable for around ten years. Conservation Banksia oligantha is listed as an endangered species under the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), and as rare under Western Australia's Wildlife Conservation Act 1950. These rankings are due to its small and severely fragmented distribution, and the ongoing degradation of its habitat. Threats include grazing by sheep and rabbits, drought, the drift of aerosol chemicals from surrounding farmland, invasion by weeds, and rising salinity. Studies have shown it to be moderately susceptible to Phytophthora cinnamomi dieback. Cultivation Banksia oligantha is rarely seen in cultivation, though it is said to merit more consideration than it receives. It is a fast-growing plant that flowers prolifically, producing "lovely masses of matchstick-like cream flowers". However, its prickly foliage makes it unsuitable for growth near paths, it is prone to lose branches in strong wind, and it is often attacked by woodboring beetles. Propagation is by seed, but these are hard to obtain. Seeds do not require any treatment before sowing, and take 37 to 40 days to germinate. Propagation by cutting has not been attempted, but might be possible, since the closely related B. cuneata has been propagated this way, albeit with unpredictable results. The plant should be grown in deep, acidic to neutral sand at a sheltered site. It is recommended to prune it when young, to encourage branching. References External links oligantha Nature conservation in Western Australia Endangered flora of Australia Eudicots of Western Australia