Hakea oldfieldii facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hakea oldfieldii |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Hakea
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| Species: |
oldfieldii
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
The Hakea oldfieldii is a type of shrub that belongs to the Proteaceae plant family. It's special because it's only found in the South West part of Western Australia. In spring, this shrub bursts with many small white or cream-yellow flowers.
Contents
What Does Hakea oldfieldii Look Like?
Hakea oldfieldii is a bushy shrub with branches that spread out and grow upwards. It can grow up to 2.5 meters (about 8 feet) tall. Its leaves are smooth and shaped like needles, about 20 to 50 millimeters long and 1 millimeter wide. They grow one after another along the stem. These stiff, dark green leaves can be straight or slightly curved, and they all have a sharp point at the end. The smaller branches are smooth and have a light blue-green powdery coating.
Flowers and Fruit
The flowers of Hakea oldfieldii grow in groups of 8 to 20. They are white or cream-yellow and appear in the spots where leaves join the stem. Each flower group grows on a smooth stalk that is 2 to 3 millimeters long. These flowers appear in large numbers and have a strong, unpleasant smell.
The small leaves that protect the flowers (called bracts) are 3 to 6 millimeters long. The tiny stalk holding each flower (called a pedicel) is 2.5 to 9.5 millimeters long. The smooth, cream-white flower parts (perianth) are 1.5 to 2.5 millimeters long. The part of the flower that receives pollen (pistil) is 3 to 4.5 millimeters long.
After flowering, the plant produces fruits that are shaped like eggs, almost round. They are 16 to 23 millimeters long and 8 to 10 millimeters wide. The surface of the fruit is uneven, sometimes bumpy, and it ends with two noticeable horns about 5 millimeters long. This plant flowers from August to October.
How Was Hakea oldfieldii Named?
The plant Hakea oldfieldii was officially described for the first time in 1870 by a scientist named George Bentham. He published his description in a book called Flora Australiensis. The second part of its scientific name, oldfieldii, was chosen to honor Augustus Frederick Oldfield. He was the person who first discovered this plant species.
Where Does Hakea oldfieldii Grow?
This plant is found in the south-west region of Western Australia. You can find it in areas from Bunbury and Busselton all the way to the Stirling Range. It prefers to grow in soil that drains well, like rocky loam or clay. It often grows in places that get wet during winter, especially where there's ironstone rock underneath the soil.
