Burnt Banksia cone
This Marsh Banksia (Banksia paludosa) ‘cone’ (actually a woody fruit) has been burnt in a fire. The intense heat of the fire caused the follicles to open, revealing the seed separators, which are the objects that look a little like lips. While the separators remain in the follicle, they hold the seeds in position. The separators remain in the follicle until it has cooled; once cooled, the separators loosen and fall out, and the seeds follow. In this way the separators ensure that the seeds fall onto cool ground that has recently been fertilised with ash. This is the strategy that populations of Marsh Banksias use for surviving fire.
Maddens Plains, New South Wales, Australia
This is a focus stack using Zerene Stacker.
Burnt Banksia cone
This Marsh Banksia (Banksia paludosa) ‘cone’ (actually a woody fruit) has been burnt in a fire. The intense heat of the fire caused the follicles to open, revealing the seed separators, which are the objects that look a little like lips. While the separators remain in the follicle, they hold the seeds in position. The separators remain in the follicle until it has cooled; once cooled, the separators loosen and fall out, and the seeds follow. In this way the separators ensure that the seeds fall onto cool ground that has recently been fertilised with ash. This is the strategy that populations of Marsh Banksias use for surviving fire.
Maddens Plains, New South Wales, Australia
This is a focus stack using Zerene Stacker.