By Hannah Tyler
There are 173 species of Banksia. All but one of these grows in Australia.
The exterior of the flower hides a seed case, which in many species will not open until it has dried out completely or is triggered by fire.
Fire has been a way of managing the Australian landscape for thousands of years. Strict cultural protocols ensured how fire was used. Land was burnt in mosaic patterns to drive animals out for food, to encourage new greenery and shoots and control the landscape.
