Banksia

Banksia is a species of tree found throughout much of Sahul. It grows in various habitats, including Eucalyptus forests, bushland, and fens.

Description
Banksia between 12 to 30 meters tall depending on their environment. Its leaves are thin narrow and long, with some growing up to 45 centimetres long. These leaves have a green colouration and are serrated at the edges. The leaves are arranged in a spiral formation along the branches. At the beginning of the new year the Banksia will begin to develop yellow flower spikes. Inside of each of these flower spikes are hundreds of smaller flowers. The flower spikes fade to brown and then grey before they are followed by woody cones that hold the winged seeds. The remains of the flower cones give a hair-like structure to the cone.

Reproduction
Banksia trees produce serotinously which means that they require bushfires to reproduce. When a bushfire comes around about half of the trees are killed and turned into fertile ashes for the next generation. These trees are replaced by the cones which use the fire to open themselves up for seed releasing. The other half of the trees survive and resprout from the base of the burned trunks.

Usage
The wood of the Banksia is a beautiful reddish colour, which makes it very attractive for novice woodworkers. However they soon learn that the wood warps in all kinds of ugly shapes when it dries up. However its cones can be used for all kinds of odd-decorated household objects such as vases. The nectar from the flower spikes is mixed with water to make a sweet drink which is especially popular during Wurian day. This sweet drink is believed to be great for the throat and is often used to relieve a cough.

Culture
The banksia is one of the most sacred trees to Druids because of the gifts is supplies and its ability to return from something as devastating as a bush fire. Because of this druids often make their homes in the oldest and largest tree of a banksia grove.