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

_______________________________ 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

_____________________________ 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

___________________________ 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