Banksia brunnea is a shrub endemic to Western Australia. It was known as Dryandra brownii until 2007, when all Dryandra species were transferred to Banksia by Austin Mast and Kevin Thiele. As there was already a plant named Banksia brownii (Feather-leaved Banksia), Mast and Thiele were forced to choose a new specific epithet; their choice, "brunnea", is from the Latin brunneus ("brown"). Thus the new name maintains the original name's reference to Robert Brown.