Banksia canei, the mountain banksia, is a shrub of the subalpine areas of Australia's Great Dividing Range, between Melbourne and Canberra. First described in 1967, it superficially resembles B. marginata, but is more closely related to another subalpine species, B. saxicola. Although no subspecies are recognised, four geographically isolated populations have been described. There is significant variation in the shape of the leaves between populations. B. canei is generally encountered as a shrub that grows up to 3 m (10 ft) high, with many branches and narrow leaves, and with yellow inflorescences (flower spikes) from late summer to early winter. Old flowers fall off the spikes, and up to 150 seed-bearing follicles develop, which mostly remain closed until burnt in a bushfire. Birds such as the yellow-tufted honeyeater and various insects forage among the flower spikes. B. canei is frost tolerant in cultivation, but copes less well with aridity or humidity, and is often short-lived in gardens.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banksia_canei

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1784:

Élisabeth Thible became the first woman to fly in an untethered hot air balloon, covering 4 km (2.5 mi) and reaching an estimated 1,500 m (4,900 ft) altitude. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89lisabeth_Thible

1920:

The Kingdom of Hungary lost 72 percent of its territory and 64 percent of its population with the signing of the Treaty of Trianon in Paris. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Trianon

1942:

World War II: The Battle of Midway, a major battle of the Pacific War, began with a massive Japanese offensive on American forces on Midway Atoll. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Midway

1989:

Following the death of Ruhollah Khomeini, the Assembly of Experts elected Ali Khamenei to be Supreme Leader of Iran. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Khamenei

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

ghrelin: (biochemistry) A peptide hormone, secreted in the stomach when empty, that increases appetite and secretion of growth hormone from the pituitary gland. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ghrelin

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Exactly one hundred days ago we all woke up in a different reality. Exactly one hundred days ago, different us woke up. When Ukrainians are awakened not by the sun's rays, but by the explosions of missiles that hit our homes, then completely different Ukrainians wake up. In 2014, Russia came to us with one word, with a new word. And this is the word "war". On February 24, Russia added another word to it, making the phrase "full-scale war."   --Volodymyr Zelenskyy https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Volodymyr_Zelenskyy