Saw banksia or Old man banksia (Banksia serrata) is a species of woody tree from the genus Banksia, in the family Proteaceae native to the east coast of Australia. This tree can be found from Queensland to Victoria with isolated populations in Tasmania and Flinders Island.
Banksia serrata was first collected in Botany Bay on April 29, 1770, by Sir Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander, naturalists on the British ship HMS Endeavor during Captain James Cook’s first voyage to the Pacific Ocean.
The Cadigal people who lived in the Sydney area before the arrival of Europeans called Banksia serrata Wiriyagan.
Banksia serrata is a fairly uniform species, showing little variation between different habitats apart from occasionally growing as a shrub in coastal areas. No subspecific taxa are recognized.
Characteristics of Saw Banksia Leaf
The leaves usually gather at the top ends of the branches, making the canopy appear thin and sparse. The leaves themselves are shiny dark green above and light green below, 2-4 cm long, 4.5 cm wide, and oval to egg-shaped. The leaf margins are serrated, except near the base, with lobes between 1-3 mm deep.
Characteristics of Saw Banksia Flower
Cylindrical flower spikes, or compound flowers, grow from the tips of 1-2 year old branches and have leaves at the base. The flower spike is generally 9-12 cm wide with hundreds of flowers emerging from the upright woody axis. The wood axis is 7-15 cm high and 0.9-1 cm wide. The flowers are creamy gray with cream markings. The wilted parts of the old flowers remain on the cones, giving them a hairy appearance. Each follicle is oval, has a wrinkled texture, is covered with fine hair, and is 2.5-3.5 cm long, 2.0-2.5 cm thick, and 1.5-2.2 cm wide.
Banksia serrata is very similar to Banksia aemula, but Banksia aemula can be distinguished by its orange-brown, rather than grey, stems and mature leaves that are narrower than 2 cm in diameter. Banksia serrata inflorescences are generally dull grey-yellow, 2-3 mm longer, the pollen is more fusiform or cylindrical at the unopened flower tip and the follicles are smaller.
Characteristics of Saw Banksia Fruit
The fruit is oval, 3-3.5 cm long, flat, and has thin wings. The seeds consist of an egg-shaped seed body, measuring 1.0-1.2 cm long and 0.9-1.1 cm wide. One side, called the outer surface, is hollow and dark brown and the other side is blackish brown and warty. The seeds are separated within the follicle by a dark brown sturdy seed separator, which is roughly the same shape as the seed, with a depression where the seed body sits adjacent to it.
Characteristics of Banksia Saw Tree
Saw Banksia grows as a gnarled tree reaching 15 meters or more in height, but can become much smaller in open areas. This species has wrinkled gray bark and shiny dark green serrated leaves.
Throughout its range, Banksia serrata grows exclusively on sandy soils and is usually the dominant plant in scrub or low forests. Banksia serrata is pollinated and provides food for a variety of vertebrates and invertebrates in autumn and winter, and is an important food source for honeyeaters. It is a common tree in parks and large gardens.
Benefits of Saw Banksia
The color of the wood is red to pink, resembling English oak. Banksia serrata wood has been used in shipbuilding because it has a strong and durable texture, and has a distinctive pattern.
Banksia serrata (Sawbanksia) ni aina ya mti wa mbao kutoka jamii ya Banksia, katika familia ya Proteaceae, asili ya pwani ya mashariki ya Australia. Mti huu unaweza kupatikana kutoka Queensland hadi Victoria na idadi ya watu walio peke yao katika Tasmania na Kisiwa cha Flinders. Mti huo ulikusanywa kwa mara ya kwanza katika Ghuba ya Botany Aprili 29, 1770 na Sir Joseph Banks na Daniel Solander, wataalamu wa asili kwenye meli ya Uingereza HMS Endeavour wakati wa safari ya kwanza ya Kapteni James Cook kwenda Bahari ya Pasifiki. Watu wa Cadigal waliokaa katika eneo la Sydney kabla ya kuwasili kwa Wazungu waliita Banksia serrata Wiriyagan. Banksia serrata ni aina ya kawaida, kuonyesha tofauti kidogo kati ya makazi tofauti mbali na mara kwa mara kukua kama shrub katika maeneo ya pwani. Hakuna taxon ya subspecific inayotambuliwa. Majani ya mti wa sawbanksia huja kwenye sehemu ya juu ya matawi, na hivyo kuifanya mti huo uonekane kuwa mwembamba na mdogo. Majani ni ya rangi ya kijani kibichi na ya kijani kibichi, yenye urefu wa sentimita 2 hadi 4,5, na umbo la yai. Pembe za majani ni serrated, isipokuwa karibu na msingi, na lobes kati ya 1-3 mm kina. Mti wa Sawbansia una umbo la mviringo, na mimea ya mviringo, ambayo huongezeka kutoka kwenye ncha za matawi ya miaka 1 hadi 2 na ina majani kwenye msingi. Mti wa maua kwa ujumla ni upana wa sentimita 9-12 na mamia ya maua yanatokea kwenye mhimili wa mti ulioinuka. Mti wa mti ni 7-15 cm juu na 0.9-1 cm upana. Maua ni ya rangi ya kijivu yenye rangi ya krimu yenye alama za krimu. Sehemu zilizopungua za maua ya zamani hubaki kwenye konokono, na hivyo kuwa na nywele. Kila follicle ni ya mviringo, ina muundo wa makunyanzi, imefunikwa na nywele nzuri, na ni ndefu 2.5-3.5 cm, unene wa 2.0-2.5 cm, na upana wa 1.5-2.2 cm. Banksia serrata ni sawa na Banksia aemula, lakini Banksia aemula inaweza kutofautishwa na rangi yake ya machungwa-kahawia, badala ya kijivu, shina na majani ya kukomaa ambayo ni nyembamba kuliko 2 cm kwa kipenyo. Banksia serrata huwa na rangi ya kijivu-njano, na poleni ni fusiform au cylindrical katika ncha ya maua. Matunda ya mti wa saumu ya Banksia ni ya umbo la mviringo, yenye urefu wa sentimita 3-3,5, ni tambarare, na ina mabawa madogo. Mbegu ni ya umbo la yai, urefu wa sentimita 1.0-1.2 na upana wa sentimita 0.9-1.1. Upande mmoja, unaoitwa uso wa nje, ni tupu na wa rangi ya kahawia-nyeusi na upande mwingine ni wa rangi ya kahawia-nyeusi na wenye viwiko. Mbegu hizo hutenganishwa ndani ya follicle na kutenganisha mbegu ya rangi ya kahawia nyeusi, ambayo ni karibu na umbo sawa na mbegu, na kushuka ambapo mwili wa mbegu hukaa karibu nayo. Mti wa Banksia ni mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti wa mti. Spishi hii ina magamba ya rangi ya kijivu yenye makunyanzi na majani yenye rangi ya kijani-kibichi yenye madoa. Katika eneo lake lote, Banksia serrata hukua tu kwenye udongo wenye mchanga na kwa kawaida ni mmea mkuu katika misitu ya vichaka au misitu ya chini. Banksia serrata ni pollinated na hutoa chakula kwa ajili ya aina mbalimbali ya vertebrates na invertebrates katika vuli na majira ya baridi, na ni chanzo muhimu cha chakula kwa honeybeaters. Ni mti wa kawaida katika mbuga na bustani kubwa. Faida za Saw Banksia Rangi ya mbao ni nyekundu hadi ya waridi, inayofanana na mwaloni wa Kiingereza. Mbao ya Banksia serrata hutumiwa katika ujenzi wa meli kwa sababu ina muundo thabiti na wa kudumu, na ina muundo wa kipekee.