Banksia laevigata

Species of shrub in the family Proteaceae endemic to Western Australia

speciesbox
|name = Tennis ball banksia
|image = Banksia laevigata laevigata. JPG
|image caption = Banksia laevigata subsp. laevigata in cultivation at The Banksia Farm
|image2 = Banksia laevigata fuscolutea 6 email. jpg
|image2 caption = Subspecies fuscolutea
|genus = Banksia
|parent = Banksia subg. Banksia
|species = laevigata
|authority = Meisn. |synonyms ref = is a species of shrub that is endemic to Western Australia. It has serrated, broadly linear to narrow wedge shaped leaves, yellow or yellowish green flowers, depending on subspecies, and linear to elliptic follicles with a slightly wrinkled surface.

Banksia laevigata is a shrub that typically grows to a height of and has roughly flaky, grey bark but does not form a lignotuber. The leaves are serrated, broadly linear to narrow wedge shaped, long and wide on a petiole long. Both surface of young leaves are hairy but become glabrous with age. The flowers are borne in spherical heads wide, usually on the ends of short side branches. The flowers are yellow or yellowish green and have a perianth long and a curved pistil long. Flowering occurs from September to December or from January to February and the follicles are linear to elliptical, long, high and wide. Each head contains up to 100 follicles surrounded by the remains of the flowers.

Subspecies fuscolutea is more widespread than the autonym and grows in shrubland between Lake Barker, Hyden and Mount Day near Norseman. Subspecies laevigata is found in the Ravensthorpe Range and along the Fitzgerald River where it grows in woodland and shrubland. but subsp. laevigata is classified as "Priority Four" is classified as "Priority Four" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife, meaning that is rare or near threatened.

Seeds do not require any treatment, and take 39 to 92 days to germinate.