 Photo © P.Kennedy |
Synonymy
Hakea loranthifolia Meisn., in J.G.C.Lehmann, Pl. Preiss. 1: 574 (1845)
T: in lapidosis illustribus sylvae haud longe ab urbicula York, W.A., 11 Sept. 1839, L.Preiss 567; syn: NY; isosyn: B, G, G-DC, L, LD, LE p.p., MEL, MO, P, TCD (as Preiss 555); Swan River colony, [W.A.], s.d. [1841 or before], J.Drummond 1: 606; syn: NY; isosyn: BM, G, K, LE p.p., MEL, OXF, P, PERTH.
An image of the
Description
Erect sparingly branched shrub, 2–3 m tall; resprouting capacity unknown. Branchlets glabrous by flowering. Leaves elliptic to obovate, sometimes undulate, 4.2–8.5 cm long, 13–23 mm wide, attenuate at base, entire, acuminate; longitudinal veins 1–3 above (sometimes obscure), 3–5 below; secondary veins pinnate, visible or obscure.
Inflorescences 1–3 per axil with 10–16 flowers per raceme; pedicels glabrous. Perianth white. Pistil 5–6.3 mm long; gland present.
Fruit obliquely ovate, 1.6–2.5 cm long, 0.9–1.8 cm wide, beaked. Seed obliquely elliptic, 13–16 mm long; wing extending broadly and partly down one side of body only, notched near base, blackish brown.
Distribution and ecology
Restricted to the upper Avon R. valley from south-east of Toodyay to Tuttanning Reserve, south-western W.A.; apparently rare. Occurs in open woodland (often of Eucalyptus wandoo or E. accedens) above and on breakaways, in sandy to gravelly lateritic loam soil.
To plot an up to date distribution map based on herbarium collections for this species see Australia's Virtual Herbarium. Localities outside the native range may represent cultivated or naturalised records.
Flowering time
Flowers Aug.–Sept.
Derivation of name
From Loranthus, a genus of mistletoe, and folius, Latin for leaf, a reference to the resemblance of the leaves to that of a mistletoe.
Relationships
Part of the Conogynoides group recognised by Bentham and characterised by a conical pollen presenter, veined leaves, glabrous perianth and fruits without horns.
Within this section 12 species were assigned to the informal Undulata group by Barker et al. (1999). This group of Hakea species was combined morphologically because they all have simple flat leaves with 3-7 prominent longitudinal veins, 10-40 small flowers (with 3-10.5 mm long pistils) and decurved woody fruits.
Members of the group are H. ambigua, H. anadenia, H. dactyloides, H. elliptica, H. falcata, H. ferruginea, H. hastata, H. laevipes, H. loranthifolia, H. neurophylla, H. plurinervia and H. undulata , from the eastern states and from SW WA. The newly described H. oligoneura (Nuytsia 19: 254 (2009) from the SW coast of WA belongs with this group.
Representative specimens
W.A.: Hoddywell Reserve, Toodyay to Clackline, G.J.Keighery 7079 (CANB, K, PERTH); Boyagin Reserve, 21 km NW of Pingelly, S.Patrick 96 (PERTH).
Weblinks
Link to FloraBase treatment of this species for WA.
Further illustrations
J.Young, Hakeas of W. Australia, Botanical District of Avon 64 (1997).
J.A..Young, Hakeas of Western Australia. A Field and Identification Guide 65 (2006).