Hakea laevipes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hakea laevipes |
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| Hakea laevipes flowers near Blackheath | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Hakea
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| Species: |
laevipes
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Hakea laevipes is a type of shrub that belongs to the Proteaceae plant family. You can find this plant growing in many places, especially along the coast and on the high flat lands (tablelands) in eastern New South Wales. It also grows in some areas of south-eastern Queensland.
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What Hakea laevipes Looks Like
Hakea laevipes is a tall, bushy shrub that can grow from about 1 foot (0.3 meters) to 10 feet (3 meters) high. It has a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber. This helps the plant regrow after a fire.
Its branches are dark brown and covered with short, soft hairs when the plant is flowering. The leaves are usually flat and can be shaped like a spear or a spoon. They are about 2 to 5 inches (5 to 12 cm) long and 0.2 to 1.2 inches (4.5 to 30 mm) wide. Each leaf has 3 to 5 main veins running along it, plus other smaller veins you can see easily.
The fruit of the Hakea laevipes is shaped like an egg and is about 0.8 to 1.2 inches (20 to 30 mm) long and 0.5 to 0.8 inches (13 to 21 mm) wide. It has a rough, bumpy surface and a small, unclear point at the end. The plant produces creamy white flowers from October to January.
How Hakea laevipes Got Its Name
The plant Hakea laevipes was first officially described in 1919 by a person named Michel Gandoger. He wrote about it in a science journal called Bulletin de la Société Botanique de France.
The second part of its name, laevipes, comes from two Latin words: laevis which means "smooth" or "polished," and pes which means "foot." Gandoger thought the flower stalks of this plant were smooth.
However, in 1973, another scientist named John MacGillivray looked closely at the plant. He noticed that the flower stalks actually had fine, silky hairs, not smooth ones. So, even though its name suggests "smooth foot," the plant does have hairy flower stalks!
Different Types of Hakea laevipes
There are two main types, or subspecies, of Hakea laevipes:
- Hakea laevipes subspecies graniticola : This type is mostly found in north-eastern New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland. It often grows in higher places in the Great Dividing Range, especially on sandy soil near granite rocks. This subspecies has smooth flower stalks.
- Hakea laevipes subspecies laevipes : This type is found in many areas of New South Wales, including the coast and tablelands, and also in south-eastern Queensland. Unlike subspecies graniticola, this one has short, soft hairs on its flower stalks.
Where Hakea laevipes Grows
Hakea laevipes is a plant that grows in many different places. You can find it from the coast all the way to the tablelands in New South Wales. It usually grows in sandy soils in dry sclerophyll forests (forests with tough, leathery leaves), woodlands, and heathlands (areas with small shrubs).
It grows north of Green Cape and goes inland to areas like Warialda and Yetman. It also grows in south-eastern Queensland.
Images for kids
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Hakea laevipes leaf
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H. laevipes fruit
