Banksia hewardiana

Banksia hewardiana is an openly branched shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.5–3 m (1 ft 8 in – 9 ft 10 in) but does not form a lignotuber. The leaves are serrated, linear in outline, 40–200 mm (1.6–7.9 in) long and 10–24 mm (0.39–0.94 in) wide on a petiole up to 5 mm (0.20 in) long. There are between five and fifteen sharply pointed teeth on each side of the leaves. Groups of between thirty-five and sixty sweetly-scented flowers are borne in a head on a side branch about 20 mm (0.79 in) long. There are hairy, lance-shaped involucral bracts up to 10 mm (0.39 in) long at the base of the head. The flowers have a lemon-yellow perianth 21–26 mm (0.83–1.02 in) long and a cream-coloured pistil 23–27 mm (0.91–1.06 in) long and glabrous. Flowering occurs from July to November and the follicles are oblong to egg-shaped, 8–10 mm (0.31–0.39 in) long and sparsely hairy.[2][3]

This species was first formally described in 1856 by Carl Meissner who gave it the name Dryandra hewardiana and published the description in de Candolle's Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis from specimens collected by James Drummond.[4][5] The specific epithet (hewardiana) honours the English botanist Robert Heward (1791–1877).[6] In 2007 Austin Mast and Kevin Thiele transferred all dryandras to the genus Banksia and renamed this species Banksia hewardiana.[7][8]

Banksia hewardiana grows in woodland and heath between Cataby, New Norcia and Moora.[2][3]

This banksia is classified as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife.[2]

• Cavanagh, Tony; Pieroni, Margaret (2006). The Dryandras. Melbourne: Australian Plants Society (SGAP Victoria); Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. ISBN 1-876473-54-1.