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Habit, in cultivation. Photo © I. Holliday

Inflorescences at different stages. Photo © I. Holliday

Fruits, flowers and foliage. Photo © W.R.Barker

Young fruits coming from the densely pubescenct floral rachis. Photo © L. Haegi

Synonymy

Hakea laurina R.Br., Suppl. Prodr. Fl. Nov. Holl. 29 (1830)

T: between Cape Arid and Lucky Bay, [W.A.], 1824, W.Baxter s.n.; ?holo: BM.

Hakea eucalyptoides Meisn., in J.G.C.Lehmann, Pl. Preiss. 1: 573 (1845). T: in glareosis sterilibus inter frutices densos ad radices collium Konkoberup hills, promontorii Cape Riche, W.A., 19 Nov. 1840, L.Preiss 565 (Sem. n. 87); syn: B, G-DC, MEL, NY.

Description

Erect shrub or small tree, frequently with finally pendulous branches, 3–6 m tall, non-sprouting. Branchlets glabrous by flowering. Leaves narrowly obovate-elliptic, 7–21 cm long (including petiole 1–2 cm long), 6–29 mm wide, narrowly attenuate at base, bluntly acute, olive-green, quickly glabrescent; longitudinal veins 3–7; secondary veins sometimes visible.

Inflorescence axillary with 120–190 flowers; pedicels 5.5–9.5 mm long, glabrous. Perianth deep pinkish red. Pistil 14–19.5 mm long, cream-white, rarely deep pink-red; gland a V-shaped flap, 0.6–1.2 mm high.

Fruit 1–10 per axil, ±obliquely ovate-elliptic, 2.2–3.8 cm long, 1.6–2.2 cm wide, sometimes curved at base, shortly beaked, flanged adaxially. Seed ovate, 15–24 mm long; wing extending broadly down both sides of body and narrowly around base, blackish brown to black.

Distribution and ecology

Occurs in south-western W.A. from Wagin south to Denmark and east to Israelite Bay. Naturalised at least in S.A., in the Mount Lofty Ra. and on Kangaroo Is. Grows in mallee-heath in sandy to gravelly, sometimes clay, granitic or lateritic 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 Apr.–Aug.

Derivation of name

From laurinus, Latin for "of laurel", and presumably a reference to the resemblance of this species (or its leaves) to the laurel tree.

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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

Well known in cultivation and probably the most widely grown species of Hakea. Prized for the 'pincushion' inflorescence of cream pin-like styles emerging from a contrasting deep pinkish red 'cushion' of perianths; colour variants occur.

Representative specimens

W.A.: SW side of Howick Hill, L.Haegi 2606 & P.S.Short (AD, MEL, PERTH); 1 km E of Warrungup, Stirling Ra., G.J.Keighery 4830 (PERTH). S.A.: Hardys Scrub, c. 6 km N of McLaren Flat, A.W.Bell 281 (AD).

Weblinks

Link to FloraBase treatment of this species for WA, where native.

 

For further information and images of this species in the Esperance region of Western Australia see William Archer’s Hakea page in Esperance Wildflowers

 

Link to SA eFlora treatment where this species is introduced.

 

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

Further illustrations

J.W.Wrigley & M.Fagg, Banksias, Waratahs & Grevilleas 384 (1989);

W.R.Elliot & D.L.Jones, Encycl. Austral. Pl. 5: 214 (1990);

J.Young, Hakeas of W. Australia, Botanical District of Avon 16, 58 (1997)

I. Holliday, Hakeas. A Field and Garden Guide 104-5 (2005)

J.A..Young, Hakeas of Western Australia. A Field and Identification Guide 59 (2006)

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