About Banksia ashbyi Baker fil.
Banksia ashbyi Baker fil., commonly known as Ashby's banksia, is a shrub or small tree that usually grows to a height of 8 metres (26 feet), and sometimes forms a lignotuber. It has smooth grey bark. Young stems are hairy when new, and become hairless as they mature. Its leaves are broadly linear, measuring 100–300 mm (3.9–11.8 in) long and 20–40 mm (0.8–1.6 in) wide, with deep serrations. The serrations are triangular with sharply pointed tips. The plant's flower spikes are bright orange, 60–150 mm (2.4–5.9 in) long and 60–80 mm (2.4–3.1 in) in diameter. Each perianth is 26–34 mm (1.0–1.3 in) long. Flowering occurs either from February to May or from July to December. The fruits are numerous smooth, elliptical to round follicles, 8–15 mm (0.3–0.6 in) long, 3–8 mm (0.1–0.3 in) high and 5–11 mm (0.2–0.4 in) wide, with a covering of short, soft hairs. Ashby's banksia grows in heath and spinifex country along the coast of Western Australia between Geraldton and Exmouth. Subspecies ashbyi occurs between Shark Bay and Coorow, and also in the Kennedy Range. Subspecies boreoscaia is found further north, between North West Cape and Quobba. An assessment of the potential impact of climate change on this species found that its range is unlikely to contract and may actually grow, depending on how effectively it migrates into newly habitable areas. In horticulture, the seeds of this species do not require any treatment, and take 16 to 61 days to germinate.
