Synonymy

Hakea petiolaris Meisn., in J.G.C.Lehmann, Pl. Preiss. 1: 577 (1845) subsp. petiolaris

T: montis 'Currie' (York), [W.A.], 15 Apr. 1840, L.Preiss 557; syn: B, BR (rec'd 1847), G, G-DC, HBG, L, LD, LE p.p., M, MEL, NY, P.

Hakea crassinervia Meisn., in J.G.C.Lehmann, Pl. Preiss. 1: 578 (1845). T: montis N[H]ardy prope praedium rusticum Cl. Whitfield at ad Ronan's well [York/Toodyay area], W.A., 16 Mar. 1840, L.Preiss 559; syn: B, G-DC, L, LD, LE p.p., MEL, NY p.p.

Description

Resprouting shrub 1.6–3.6 m tall. Branchlets densely appressed-sericeous or glabrescent by flowering.

Leaves spathulate, 5.5–8.6 cm long (including petiole 0.8–1.8 cm long), 2.4–4.6 cm wide, narrowly cuneate to attenuate at base, ±abruptly acuminate , pale grey-green, surfaces glabrescent but minutely papillose, sometimes patchily appressed-pubescent at flowering time; longitudinal veins usually (1–) 3 (–4); reticulate veins prominent above and below.

Inflorescence axillary or at leafless node, sometimes resprouting in subsequent years, with 120–200 flowers; pedicels 8–9.5 mm long, glabrous. Perianth pinkish red. Pistil 14–18 mm long, cream-white; gland a V-shaped flap, 0.5–0.6 mm high.

Fruit ovate, 3.1–3.6 cm long, 1.8–1.9 cm wide, curved at base, obscurely or not beaked, not flanged. Seed obliquely ovate, 14–22 mm long; wing extending broadly down both sides of body (narrower on one side), sometimes narrowly around base also, blackish brown to black.

Distribution and ecology

Occurs in W.A. from the Darling Ra. east to near York (early collections) in Jarrah forest.

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 May–July.

Derivation of name

From petiolaris, Latin for borne on a petiole, a reference to the apparent petiole of the leaves of this species.

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How the infraspecific taxa differ

Subspecies petiolaris differs from ssp. angusta by its spathulate rather than elliptic leaves, its leaves 5.5-8.6 cm long (including petiole) rather than 7.2-15 cm long and by its fruits being ovate and 3.1-3.6 cm long and 1.8-1.9 cm wide compared to the elliptic fruits of ssp. angusta, which are 2.3-2.5 cm long and 1.1-1.3 cm wide.

Ssp. petiolaris differs from ssp. trichophylla by its usually shorter leaves (5.5-8.6 cm compared with 8-11.2 cm long) and longer fruits (3.1-3.6 cm compared with 2.2-2.5 cm) and by the longer persistence of the appressed leaf indumentum in ssp. trichophylla.

Ssp. petiolaris resprouts after fire whereas ssp. trichophylla is killed by fire.

Relationships

Part of Sect. Conogynoides recognised by Bentham (1870) and characterised by a conical pollen presenter, veined leaves, glabrous perianth and fruits without horns.

Within this section 3 species were assigned to the informal Petiolaris group by Barker et al. (1999). This group of Hakea species was combined morphologically because they all have flat, subpetiolate leaves, unusual spherical or sub-spherical inflorescences, long pistils and down-curved fruits.

Species are H. laurina, H. obtusa and H. petiolaris, all from SW WA. The monophyly or otherwise of the group has still to be tested.

Notes

The name H. crassinervia, a taxonomic synonym and out of use since the middle of the last century, has been used for some specimens of subsp. petiolaris in recent times. Hakea crassinervia has recently been misapplied also in horticulture, much more widely, to an apparently sterile hybrid (putatively H. myrtoides X H. petiolaris) known otherwise under the cultivar name Hakea 'Burrendong Beauty'; this is shown in image 4.

Representative specimens

W.A.: Helena Valley, slopes of Gooseberry Hill, J.Seabrook 37 (CANB, PERTH); The Rock, Brookton Hwy, A.S.George 887 (PERTH); Bickley, A.S.George 3719 (PERTH).

Weblinks

Link to FloraBase treatment of this species for WA.

Link to the Australian Native Plants Society (Australia) pages on Hakea. This species is covered here with an image, cultivation notes and brief notes about it.

More photographs of this species can be seen on the Australian National Botanic Gardens site.

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Further illustrations

I. Holliday, Hakeas. A Field and Garden Guide 160-1 (2005)

J.A..Young, Hakeas of Western Australia. A Field and Identification Guide 89 (2006)