Banksia

Banksia, a genus of the Australian order Proteaceæ (q.v.), named in honour of Sir Joseph Banks. Most of the species are shrubs, but a few become small trees. They have hard dry leaves, generally white or very pale green beneath, and present a remarkable appearance from the peculiar arrangement of their branches, which bear towards their extremities oblong heads of very numerous sq. m.; pop. (1891) 1,069,068, over 90 per cent. of whom are Hindus.