Banksia kingii is an extinct species of tree or shrub in the plantgenusBanksia. It is known only from fossil leaves and fruiting "cones" found in LatePleistocenesediment at Melaleuca Inlet in western Tasmania. These were discovered by Deny King in the workings of his tinmine.[1] The climate was most likely as cool as or cooler than it is at Melaleuca now (an average yearly temperature of 11.5C, an average temperature of the coldest month of 4.5 °C, a mean maximum temperature of the warmest month of 20 °C) , and possibly wetter, over 2400 mm annually.[2]
The leaves and fruiting cones were discovered at different locations, and since the sediment had been removed during mining, the stratigraphy of the fossils is unknown. The sediment from which they were recovered was alluvial, consisting of large, well-rounded fragments of quartz and schist.
The fossil leaves are about 12 centimetres long and one centimetre wide and very thick and robust. They clearly belong to genus Banksia, section Banksia, series Salicinae, but not to any of the extant species in that series. The leaves of B. plagiocarpa (Dallachy's Banksia) are similar in form, shape and robustness, but differ strongly in structure. Leaves of B. saxicola (Grampians Banksia) are structurally the most similar to B. kingii, but have a different shape. There also appear to be some affinities with B. marginata (Silver Banksia) and B. canei (Mountain Banksia), but insufficient to warrant the fossil's ascription to those species. The fossils are therefore considered representative of a new species, B. kingii.
The fossil fruiting structures are cylindrical, about 6 centimetres high and 4½ centimetres wide. The structure had lost its old flower parts. It appears to be most closely related to B. saxicola and B. canei, with some similarities to B. marginata. The taxonomic situation therefore appears highly similar for both leaves and fruiting structures, and so the fruiting structures are ascribed to B. kingii despite the absence of any direct connection to the fossil leaves.
The species is believed to represent an extinct lineage. It is possible that it is an ancestor of B. marginata, although B. marginata must have speciated well before the extinction of B. kingii, given how widely it is now distributed. Extinction of B. kingii probably occurred in the late Quaternary, and may have been caused by the climatic and physical disruption of glaciation, or by increased fire frequency due to human activity.
A formal description of B. kingii was published in 1991 by Gregory J. Jordan and Robert S. Hill, who named the species in honour of the discoverer, Deny King. Hence the species' full name is "Banksia kingii Jordan & Hill". The holotype and a number of other specimens are stored in the Department of Plant Science at the University of Tasmania.
Referencesedit
Wikispecies has information related to Banksia kingii.
^"Deny King's contributions to science". National Library of Australia. December 2001. from the original on 29 June 2008. Retrieved 15 November 2008.
^Jordan, Greg J.; Carpenter, Raymond J.; Hill, Robert S. (1991). "Late Pleistocene Vegetation and Climate Near Melaleuca Inlet, South-Western Tasmania". Australian Journal of Botany. 39 (4): 315–33. doi:10.1071/BT9910315.
Jordan, Gregory J.; Hill, Robert S. (1991). "Two New Banksia Species from Pleistocene Sediments in Western Tasmania" (PDF). Australian Systematic Botany. 4 (3): 499–511. doi:10.1071/SB9910499. Retrieved 28 August 2006.
April 14, 2024
banksia, kingii, extinct, species, tree, shrub, plant, genus, banksia, known, only, from, fossil, leaves, fruiting, cones, found, late, pleistocene, sediment, melaleuca, inlet, western, tasmania, these, were, discovered, deny, king, workings, mine, climate, mo. Banksia kingii is an extinct species of tree or shrub in the plant genus Banksia It is known only from fossil leaves and fruiting cones found in Late Pleistocene sediment at Melaleuca Inlet in western Tasmania These were discovered by Deny King in the workings of his tin mine 1 The climate was most likely as cool as or cooler than it is at Melaleuca now an average yearly temperature of 11 5C an average temperature of the coldest month of 4 5 C a mean maximum temperature of the warmest month of 20 C and possibly wetter over 2400 mm annually 2 Banksia kingiiTemporal range Late Pleistocene PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Banksia kingiifossil coneScientific classificationKingdom PlantaeClade TracheophytesClade AngiospermsClade EudicotsOrder ProtealesFamily ProteaceaeGenus BanksiaSubgenus Banksia subg BanksiaSection Banksia sect BanksiaSeries Banksia ser SalicinaeSpecies B kingiiBinomial name Banksia kingiiJordan amp HillB kingii leafThe leaves and fruiting cones were discovered at different locations and since the sediment had been removed during mining the stratigraphy of the fossils is unknown The sediment from which they were recovered was alluvial consisting of large well rounded fragments of quartz and schist The fossil leaves are about 12 centimetres long and one centimetre wide and very thick and robust They clearly belong to genus Banksia section Banksia series Salicinae but not to any of the extant species in that series The leaves of B plagiocarpa Dallachy s Banksia are similar in form shape and robustness but differ strongly in structure Leaves of B saxicola Grampians Banksia are structurally the most similar to B kingii but have a different shape There also appear to be some affinities with B marginata Silver Banksia and B canei Mountain Banksia but insufficient to warrant the fossil s ascription to those species The fossils are therefore considered representative of a new species B kingii The fossil fruiting structures are cylindrical about 6 centimetres high and 4 centimetres wide The structure had lost its old flower parts It appears to be most closely related to B saxicola and B canei with some similarities to B marginata The taxonomic situation therefore appears highly similar for both leaves and fruiting structures and so the fruiting structures are ascribed to B kingii despite the absence of any direct connection to the fossil leaves The species is believed to represent an extinct lineage It is possible that it is an ancestor of B marginata although B marginata must have speciated well before the extinction of B kingii given how widely it is now distributed Extinction of B kingii probably occurred in the late Quaternary and may have been caused by the climatic and physical disruption of glaciation or by increased fire frequency due to human activity A formal description of B kingii was published in 1991 by Gregory J Jordan and Robert S Hill who named the species in honour of the discoverer Deny King Hence the species full name is Banksia kingii Jordan amp Hill The holotype and a number of other specimens are stored in the Department of Plant Science at the University of Tasmania References edit nbsp Wikispecies has information related to Banksia kingii Deny King s contributions to science National Library of Australia December 2001 Archived from the original on 29 June 2008 Retrieved 15 November 2008 Jordan Greg J Carpenter Raymond J Hill Robert S 1991 Late Pleistocene Vegetation and Climate Near Melaleuca Inlet South Western Tasmania Australian Journal of Botany 39 4 315 33 doi 10 1071 BT9910315 Jordan Gregory J Hill Robert S 1991 Two New Banksia Species from Pleistocene Sediments in Western Tasmania PDF Australian Systematic Botany 4 3 499 511 doi 10 1071 SB9910499 Retrieved 28 August 2006 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Banksia kingii amp oldid 1208564875, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
