Foxydoug's guide to Proteaceae genera around Narrogin

Greetings fellow Foxies,
I became interested in Proteaceae via gravelly soils while working for the WA Department of Agriculture as an adviser. At that time it was thought that ancient fluctuating  groundwater created gravel, and that Proteaceae evolved to grow on these soils.
Dr Bill Verboom (a work colleague), turned this idea on its head by proposing that plants can create soils to give them an evolutionary advantage. Proteaceae have evolved cluster roots, which enable them to access the nutrient phosphorus in infertile soils. Cluster roots and associated soil microbes create lateritic soils including bauxite. For  more information click here.

Australia girt by gravel

I recently realised that I didn't know how to distinguish Proteaceae genera from each other. Alas my ageing memory is less than photographic, and I rely on rules of thumb. I developed this rough guide for my own use. No doubt there are exceptions but some may find it useful.

• 1 Proteaceae have tubular flowers (a corolla) with four tepals (combined petal/sepal).
• The central female part consists of a superior (above surface of inside of flower base) ovary connected to a single unbranched style.
• Their fruit only has one or two seeds in a 2 lobed papery (grevillea) or woody (Hakea, Lambertia) fruit or cone (Banksia, Isopogon or Petrophile, or tiny nuts (Conospermum, Synaphea, or drupes (Persoonia).
• Most Proteaceae produce few seeds, particularly resprouters

section of a grevillea flower spike

2. Short corolla  tube with small tepals

Synaphea have divided leaves and clusters of yellow flowers

Conospermum have entire leaves and clusters of tiny blue grey or white flowers

Conospermum stoechadis common smokebush

3. Medium to long corolla tube - the style bursts out of the side of the tube before the tepals separate

Adenanthos (woolly bushes) have only 1 or 2 flowers together.

Banksias mostly have thin styles and flowers and fruit in a round or elongate cone

Dryandras ​mostly have thin styles and groups of flowers surrounded by bracts (modified leaves)

Grevilleas mostly have flowers with thickened styles on end of branches and papery fruit.

Hakeas mostly have thickened styles on flowers between leaves on branches and woody fruit

​4. Medium to long corolla tube - style emerges from end of corolla tube as tepals fold back

Persoonia. Anthers around style. Entire leaves.

Stirlingia. Anthers finside folded tepal. Entire leaves and sprays of flowers arise from plant base.

Lambertia. Anthers inside folded tepal.Woody fruit with horned lobes.

Isopogon. Anthers inside folded tepal. Smooth cone fruit.

Petrophile. Anthers inside folded tepal. Scaly cone fruit.