Banksia attenuata

Common name: Candle 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. Attenuata is from the Latin word attenuatus meaning made thin or narrow, or narrowing to a point. This refers to the narrowing of the leaf towards its base.

Aboriginal Name:

Piara.

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 from Shark Bay to Bremer Bay.

Description:

A tree to 10 metres tall. Yellow flowering cones appear from September to February.

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

Atlas of Living Australia https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://id.biodiversity.org.au/node/apni/2913234

Florabase https://florabase.dbca.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/1800