Synonymy

Hakea cycloptera R.Br., Trans. Linn. Soc. London 10: 182 (1810)

T: Bay X, [Port Lincoln, S.A.], Mar. 1802, R.Brown s.n.; syn: BM, E, K, P.

Description

Straggly bush or shrub 0.3–1.3 m tall; resprouting capacity unknown. Branchlets and young leaves white-pubescent. Leaves simple, 1.5–14.5 cm long, 1.1–1.9 mm wide, white-pubescent, glabrescent; mucro 1–2.8 mm long.

Inflorescence axillary with 1–14 flowers; rachis 0.5–3 mm long, with white appressed hairs; pedicels 2.5–6 mm long, glabrous; buds curved. Perianth 4–6.5 mm long, white or pink, glabrous, glaucous. Pistil 7–12 mm long; pollen presenter oblique, 0.6–0.9 mm long; gland slightly curved, 0.15–0.3 mm long laterally.

Fruit broadly elliptic to circular, 2.5–4 cm long, 2–3.4 cm wide, coarsely verrucose or rugose, with short oblique beak; horns to 5 mm long; apiculum obscure. Seed obliquely oblong-elliptic, 24–38 mm long; wing encircling seed body, brown to brown-black

Distribution and ecology

Occurs on Eyre Peninsula, S.A., found in sandy soil in mallee scrubs.

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 Dec.–Aug.

Derivation of name

From cyclos, Greek for circle and -pterus, Greek for -winged, a reference to the shape of the seed wing.

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Relationships

Part of Section Hakea of Bentham (as Euhakea) and characterised by a non-conical pollen presenter, leaves without obvious venation, perianths with or without hairs and fruits with or without horns. Barker et al. (1999) recognised a number of informal morphological groups within the section.

H. cycloptera is part of the Strumosa group, a group close to the Sericea and Nodosa groups and held together by the sharing of simple terete leaves, terminal or axillary inflorescences (if the latter these resprouting in subsequent seasons), glabrous pedicel and perianth and woody, smooth or verrucose, fruits with horns. Other species in the group include H. bicornata, H. circumalata, H. commutata, H. newbeyana, H. preissii, H. strumosa and H. vittata.

S.A.: Thurlga Stn, Gawler Ra., B.Copley 2748 (AD); 15 km S of Kimba, M.D.Crisp 772 (AD); coastal sand-dunes, Port Neill, A.E.Orchard 2991 (AD).

Representative specimens

Link to SA eFlora treatment.

A close-up image of the flowers and leaves can be seen at www.bkaussi.de/images/AustrWildblum/Hakea%20cycloptera.jpg The formation of horns in the fruit is already visible in the young ovary.

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

Weblinks

I. Holliday, Hakeas. A Field and Garden Guide 58-59 (2005)