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14.—RIVER BANKSIA (Banksia verticillata).
A tree attaining a height of 50 to 60 feet, with a bole of 15 to 20 feet, and a diameter of 2 feet 6 inches. The bark is persistent, grey, and completely fissured longitudinally; when cut it shows red. The flowers are a yellowish-brown, and the leaves are arranged in whorls at intervals along the branches, and are usually about three inches long.
Weight per. cubic foot (green)—59lbs.
At 12 per cent, moisture—35lbs.
Transverse strength—10,300lbs. per square inch.
Tensile strength—8,000lbs. per square inch.
This tree yields a light-coloured timber with a particularly beautiful grain. The medullary rays are wide, so that when cut on the quarter it shows a beautiful oak-like figure, and is much prized for furniture work. It is the lightest of all timbers of the State. It occurs along the side of the larger rivers and streams in the South-West, and is rarely to be found growing far away from running water.
