Banksia grossa is a shrub in the plant family Proteaceae endemic to
Southwest Australia. It is one of fourteen species of banksia in the
series Abietinae, which bear round or oval inflorescences. Collected in
1965, it was described in 1981 by Alex George. Its thick leaves and
large seeds distinguish it from other Abietinae species. It is found
among heath between Eneabba and Badgingarra, in shallow sand over
laterite or in deep sand. It grows as a many-stemmed shrub to 1 m
(3 ft) high with narrow leaves and oval brownish flower spikes up to
10 cm (4 in) high, composed of hundreds of individual flowers.
Flowering occurs throughout the cooler months. Old flower spikes develop
woody follicles which bear the seeds. The plant takes five to seven
years to reach maturity and begin flowering. After bushfire, B. grossa
regenerates from its woody lignotuber; bushfires also stimulate the
release of seeds, which germinate after disturbance. Visitors to
inflorescences include insects and the nocturnal white-tailed dunnart.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banksia_grossa>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1956:
In a nationwide referendum, Gamal Abdel Nasser was elected
President of Egypt, a post he held until his death in 1970.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamal_Abdel_Nasser>
1991:
The first installment of the video-game series Sonic the
Hedgehog was released.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic_the_Hedgehog>
1992:
Croatian War of Independence: The Battle of the Miljevci
Plateau ended after a failed counterattack by forces of the Republic of
Serbian Krajina against the Croatian Army who had captured the plateau.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Miljevci_Plateau>
2016:
Citizens of the United Kingdom voted in favour of leaving the
European Union.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_United_Kingdom_European_Union_membership_referendum>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
burnt offering:
1. (biblical) A slaughtered animal offered and burnt on an altar as an
atonement for sin.
2. (religion, by extension) Any similar sacrifice to a deity or deities,
or to a deceased person.
3. (humorous) Overcooked food.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/burnt_offering>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
Over the sea and far away She's waiting like an iceberg Waiting
to change But she's cold inside She wants to be like the water. All
the muscles tighten in her face Buries her soul in one embrace They're
one and the same Just like water. Then the fire fades away And most
of everyday Is full of tired excuses But it's too hard to say I wish
it were simple But we give up easily You're close enough to see that
You're the other side of the world to me.
--KT Tunstall
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/KT_Tunstall>