Hakea kippistiana facts for kids
Hakea kippistiana is a cool shrub that belongs to a plant family called Proteaceae. It's special because it only grows naturally in Western Australia. This plant is a dense, prickly bush with sharp, needle-like leaves. From November to February, you can see its lovely, sweet-smelling flowers, which can be white, cream, or even pink!
Quick facts for kids Hakea kippistiana |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Hakea
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| Species: |
kippistiana
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| Where Hakea kippistiana grows in Australia | |
Contents
What Does Hakea kippistiana Look Like?
This plant is a woody shrub or a small tree. It can grow from about 1 to 5 metres (3 to 16 ft) tall and has branches that spread out. It also has a special woody swelling underground called a lignotuber, which helps it regrow after fires.
Its young branches are covered in white and rusty-colored flattened hairs. But as they get older, they become smooth, except near where the leaves join. The leaves are dark green and shaped like needles. They are about 2.5 to 7.5 centimetres (1.0 to 3.0 in) long and 1 to 1.5 millimetres (0.039 to 0.059 in) wide, with a tiny hook at the very tip.
Flowers and Fruit
Hakea kippistiana flowers bloom from November to February. They smell very nice and can be white, cream, or pink. These flowers grow in groups of 8 to 26 on a small stalk, which is about 3–6.5 mm (0.12–0.26 in) long. This stalk is covered with rusty-colored hairs, and sometimes white ones.
Each tiny flower has its own small stem, called a pedicel, which is about 2.5–3 mm (0.098–0.118 in) long. These stems have a few soft, white hairs. The main part of the flower, called the perianth, is 2.5–3 mm (0.098–0.118 in) long, and the pistil (the part that develops into fruit) is 7–7.5 mm (0.28–0.30 in) long.
After flowering, the plant produces smooth, grey to black, egg-shaped fruits. These fruits are about 19 to 23 mm (0.75 to 0.91 in) long and 7 to 13 mm (0.276 to 0.512 in) wide. They have a wide, long beak and short, rough "horns." Inside, the seeds are light brown to grey-yellow and have a single wing on one side, which helps them fly away in the wind.
How It Got Its Name
The scientific name for this plant, Hakea kippistiana, was first officially written down in 1855 by a botanist named Carl Meissner. He described it in a book called New Proteaceae of Australia, which was part of William Jackson Hooker's work.
The second part of its name, kippistiana, was chosen to honor Richard Kippist. He was a librarian at the Linnean Society and was very interested in Australian plants.
Where Does Hakea kippistiana Live?
Hakea kippistiana is found only in Western Australia. It grows in many different scattered areas within the Wheatbelt and Goldfields-Esperance regions. You can usually find it growing in red sandy soils, often near a type of rock called laterite.
