Banksia serrata, the old man banksia, is a species of woody shrub or tree in the family Proteaceae. It is found from Queensland to Victoria, commonly growing as a gnarled tree up to 16 m (50 ft) in height, though it can be much smaller in more exposed areas. It has wrinkled grey bark and shiny dark green serrated leaves. The large yellow or greyish-yellow flower spikes turn grey as they age, and pollinated flowers develop into large, grey, woody seed pods. This Banksia species is one of four collected by Joseph Banks in 1770, and one of four published in 1782 as part of Carl Linnaeus the Younger's original description of the genus. Throughout its range, it grows exclusively in sandy soils, and is usually the dominant plant where it grows in scrubland or low woodland. B. serrata is pollinated by and provides food for a wide array of vertebrate and invertebrate animals in the autumn and winter months. It is a common plant of parks and gardens.

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

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1850:

Settlers of the Canterbury Association (poster pictured) aboard Randolph and Charlotte Jane arrived to establish a colony at Christchurch, New Zealand. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canterbury_Association

1914:

First World War: The Imperial German Navy attacked ports in northern England, resulting in hundreds of civilian casualties. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raid_on_Scarborough,_Hartlepool_and_Whitby

1930:

German-American gangster Herman Lamm killed himself during a botched robbery attempt in Clinton, Indiana, to avoid being captured by police. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herman_Lamm

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

reconciliation: 1. The re-establishment of friendly relations; conciliation, rapprochement. 2. (accounting) The process of comparing and resolving apparent differences between accounting records, or between accounting records and bank statements, receipts, etc. 3. Religious senses. 4. (Christianity) The end of estrangement between a human and God as a result of atonement. 5. (Christianity) The reconsecration of a desecrated church or other holy site. 6. (Christianity, chiefly Roman Catholicism) Admission of a person to membership of the church, or readmission after the person has previously left the church. 7. (Roman Catholicism) Short for sacrament of reconciliation (“a sacrament (sacred ritual) formerly called confession, involving contrition by a person, confessing sins to a priest, penance performed by the person, and absolution granted by the priest”). https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/reconciliation

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Do not merely practice your art, but force your way into its secrets; it deserves that, for only art and science can exalt man to divinity.   --Ludwig van Beethoven https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ludwig_van_Beethoven