Hakea oldfieldii is a shrub of the family Proteaceae and is endemic to South West region of Western Australia. It has small white or cream-yellow flowers in profusion in spring.

Hakea oldfieldii

Priority Three — Poorly Known Taxa (DEC)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Proteales
Family: Proteaceae
Genus: Hakea
Species:
H. oldfieldii
Binomial name
Hakea oldfieldii
Occurrence data from AVH

Description edit

Hakea oldfieldii is an open, straggling shrub with upright branches and growing to a height of 2.5 metres (8.2 ft). The smooth, needle-shaped leaves are more or less 20–50 mm (0.79–1.97 in) long and 1 mm (0.039 in) wide and grow alternately. The rigid dark green leaves may be curving or straight and end in a sharp point. The branchlets are smooth and covered with a bluish green powdery film. The inflorescence consists of 8-20 white or cream-yellow flowers in a raceme in the leaf axils on a smooth stalk 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) long. The flowers appear in profusion and have an unpleasant scent. The over-lapping flower bracts are 3–6 mm (0.12–0.24 in) long, the pedicel 2.5–9.5 mm (0.098–0.374 in) long. The smooth, cream-white perianth 1.5–2.5 mm (0.059–0.098 in) long and the pistil 3–4.5 mm (0.12–0.18 in) long. The fruit are egg-shaped almost rounded, 16–23 mm (0.63–0.91 in) long, 8–10 mm (0.31–0.39 in) wide with an uneven surface, occasionally warty ending with two prominent horns about 5 mm (0.20 in) long. Flowering occurs from August to October.[2][3][4]

Taxonomy and naming edit

Hakea oldfieldii was first formally described by George Bentham in 1870 and published the description in Flora Australiensis.[5][6] The specific epithet oldfieldii honours Augustus Frederick Oldfield who first discovered the species.[4]

Distribution and habitat edit

This species is found in the south-west from Bunbury and Busselton to the Stirling Range growing in well-drained rocky loam or clay over ironstone in winter-wet sites.[7]

Conservation status edit

Hakea oldfieldii is classified as "Priority Three" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife[2] meaning that it is poorly known and known from only a few locations but is not under imminent threat.[8]

References edit

  1. ^ "Hakea oldfieldii". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Hakea oldfieldii". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  3. ^ Barker, Robyn M.; Haegi, Laurence A.; Barker, William R. (1999). Flora of Australia Volume 17B Proteaceae 3 Hakea to Dryandra. ABRS-Commonwealth of Australia. ISBN 0-643-06454-0.
  4. ^ a b Holliday, Ivan (2005). Hakeas a Field and Garden Guide. Reed New Holland. ISBN 1-877069-14-0.
  5. ^ "Hakea oldfieldii". Biodiversity Heritage Library. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  6. ^ "Hakea oldfieldii". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  7. ^ "Hakea oldfieldii". Flora of South Australia-Online Fact Sheet. South Australian Government. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  8. ^ "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 15 March 2021.