Strange Banksia

Banksia petiolaris was flowering nicely today in the Botanic Gardens in Canberra. It grows naturally on the south coast of Western Australia, and is one of a small number of prostrate Banksia species that have underground stems with flowers emerging more-or-less directly from the soil. 

My visit to the Gardens today coincided with their annual end-of-year morning tea to thank their many volunteers for another year's invaluable work. It was good to catch up with lots of old friends.