Hakea hastata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hakea hastata |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Hakea
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| Species: |
hastata
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
The Hakea hastata is a type of shrub that belongs to the Proteaceae plant family. It grows only in southern Western Australia, meaning it's found nowhere else in the world! This plant is an open, upright shrub with light green leaves. Its branches are covered in tiny hairs, and it produces pretty white flowers in spring.
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What Does Hakea hastata Look Like?
The Hakea hastata is an upright shrub that usually grows to be about 1.5 to 3 metres (4.9 to 9.8 ft) tall. That's like a small tree or a very tall person! It doesn't have many branches, and these branches are covered in light brown hairs.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves are pale green and shaped like a narrow or wide oval. They are about 2 to 4.7 centimetres (0.8 to 1.9 in) long and 9 to 24 millimetres (0.354 to 0.945 in) wide. Each leaf has one to three lines running along it.
This shrub blooms from September to October, showing off its white flowers. The flowers grow in groups called inflorescences. Each group has about 18 to 22 flowers. The petals, called the perianth, are a creamy white color.
Fruits and Seeds
After the flowers bloom, woody fruits start to form. These fruits are shaped like a slanted or wide oval. They are about 1.6 to 2.0 cm (0.63 to 0.79 in) long and 0.9 to 1.2 cm (0.35 to 0.47 in) wide. They have a small, unclear beak-like tip.
Inside the fruits are blackish-brown seeds. These seeds are shaped like a slanted oval or an ellipse. They also have a wing on one side, which helps them spread.
How Hakea hastata Got Its Name
This plant was first officially described in 1999 by a botanist named Laurence Haegi. He wrote about it in a book called Appendix: Hakea. Flora of Australia.
The second part of its scientific name, hastata, comes from a Latin word. Hastata means "spear-like." This name was chosen because the leaves of the plant are shaped like a spearhead.
Where Does Hakea hastata Grow?
The Hakea hastata is endemic to a specific part of Western Australia. This means it naturally grows only in this area and nowhere else. You can find it in the Wheatbelt and Great Southern regions.
It grows from places like Pingelly in the north down to Albany in the south. Its growth is spread out in different spots. This shrub likes to grow on and around hills. It can be found in sandy, loamy, or clay soils, which sometimes have gravel in them.
You'll often see Hakea hastata as part of the smaller plants growing under Eucalyptus trees in woodlands.
