Banksia littoralisCommon name: Swamp Banksia

Meaning of name: Banksia is named after Sir Joseph Banks (1743 – 1820) who collected the first specimens of the genus during Captain Cook’s voyage in 1770. Littoralis is a Latin word meaning of or belonging to the sea-shore. The tree was first discovered near the shores of King George Sound.

Aboriginal name: Pungura.

Aboriginal use: An infusion of the flowers was used to relieve coughs and colds and as a refreshing drink.

Distribution: Occurs on the Coastal Plain and Darling Range from Jurien Bay to east of Albany. It can be found near watercourses and winter-wet depressions.

Description: Tree to 12 metres tall. Yellow flower cone produced from February to July.

References: Western Australian Plant Names and their Meanings, a Glossary. FA Sharr. 1996.
Flora of the Perth Region. NG Marchant, JR Wheeler, BL Rye, EM Bennett, NS Lander, TD Macfarlane. 1987.
Leaf & Branch, Trees and Tall Shrubs of Perth. Robert Powell. 1990

Noongar Bush Medicine, Medicinal Plants of the South-west of Western Australia. Vivienne Hansen & John Horsfall. 2016