Hakea maconochieana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hakea maconochieana |
|
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Hakea
|
| Species: |
maconochieana
|
 |
|
| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Hakea maconochieana is a special kind of shrub. It belongs to the Proteacea plant family. This plant is only found in Queensland, Australia. It is quite rare. This unique shrub has pretty red flowers and leaves that look like needles. It can grow straight up or spread out.
Contents
About This Plant
Hakea maconochieana is a shrub that can grow from 0.5 to 1.5 metres (2 to 5 ft) tall. It does not form a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber. This means it doesn't easily regrow from its base after a fire.
Leaves and Branches
The leaves of this plant are flat and thick. They are about 7 to 13.5 centimetres (3 to 5 in) long. They are also 1.5 to 2.7 centimetres (0.6 to 1.1 in) wide. The leaves have soft, flat hairs and clear veins. They also have fine ribs and a somewhat blunt tip. The younger branches, especially when the plant is flowering, have a few flat, silky hairs.
Flowers
The plant's flowers grow in a cluster called an inflorescence. Each cluster has about 100 red flowers. The main stem of the flower cluster is 3–3.5 cm (1.2–1.4 in) long. This stem has rough, coarse hairs. Each individual flower sits on a small stalk called a pedicel. These stalks have some soft hairs. The red outer parts of the flower, called the perianth, have a few flat, silky hairs. The female part of the flower, the pistil, is 15–18 mm (0.59–0.71 in) long.
Flowering Time and Fruit
You can see this plant flowering from April to August. However, most of its flowers appear in September. After flowering, the plant produces fruit. These fruits are not very woody. They are shaped like a narrow egg or ellipse. They are 1.4–1.7 cm (0.55–0.67 in) long and 0.6–0.7 cm (0.24–0.28 in) wide. The fruits are slightly curved.
Naming This Plant
The scientific name for this plant, Hakea maconochieana, was first officially described in 1999. A botanist named Laurence Haegi gave it this name. It was part of a larger work about Hakea plants. The second part of its name, maconochieana, honors John Richard Maconochie. He was a botanist who worked at the Alice Springs Herbarium from 1967 to 1984. He was very interested in Hakea plants.
Where It Lives
This plant is endemic to Australia. This means it only grows naturally in certain places. You can find it in a few separate areas in the far South West region of Queensland. It was first found in scattered spots in the Ambathala Range. This area is near the Mariala National Park and the town of Adavale. It usually grows in stony clay soil. It is often found in open areas with Acacia stowardii trees.
Protecting This Plant
Hakea maconochieana is considered a vulnerable species. This classification is under Queensland's Nature Conservation (Wildlife) Regulation 2006. Being "vulnerable" means that the plant is at risk of becoming endangered. It needs protection to survive in the wild.
