"Baby Banksia Beachside"
Eleanor O'Brien, Research Fellow

Banksia spinulosa (Hairpin Banksia) is common along much of Australia’s east coast, however within this range it displays considerable variation in its growth habit. In southern NSW, B. spinulosa growing in the forest takes the form of a small tree. By contrast, plants of the same species growing on coastal headlands display a smaller, ‘dwarf’ growth form, such as this B. spinulosa plant on a headland at Kioloa. It is unclear whether this difference is due to environment or genetic factors. We are using molecular techniques to determine whether populations exhibiting the different growth forms are genetically distinct.