- Banksia archaeocarpa
taxobox
name = Banksia archaeocarpa
status = Fossil
regnum =Plantae
unranked_divisio =Angiosperms
unranked_classis =Eudicots
ordo =Proteales
familia =Proteaceae
genus = "Banksia "
species = "B. archaeocarpa"
binomial = Banksia archaeocarpa
binomial_authority = McNamara & Scott|"Banksia archaeocarpa" is an extinct species of tree or shrub, known only from a
fossil "Banksia " "cone" recovered from middleEocene rocks, known as the Merlinleigh Sandstone, in the Kennedy Range in Western Australia. Described in 1983 by Ken McNamara, it closely resembles the extant "B. attenuata" (Candlestick Banksia). Some leaves resembling "Banksia brownii " (Feather-leaved Banksia) were discovered at the same site but it is unclear whether or not they were from the same plant.cite journal | author = McNamara, K. J. and J. K. Scott | year= 1983 | title = A new species of Banksia (Proteaceae) from the Eocene Merlinleigh Sandstone of the Kennedy Range, Western Australia | journal = Alcheringa | volume = 7 | pages = 185–193]A cast of the fossil cone is on display at the
Western Australian Museum .Today, the Kennedy Range lies far to the north of the distribution of most banksias. The only "Banksia" species found there is "B. ashbyi" (Ashby's Banksia), the northernmost of all western banksias.
References
*cite book|author=Mclaughlin, S. and Ken J. McNamara | year = 2001 | title = Ancient Floras of Western Australia | publisher = Western Australian Museum | id = ISBN 0-7307-2692-4
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