Wrinkled hakea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wrinkled hakea |
|
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Hakea
|
| Species: |
rugosa
|
 |
|
| Occurrence data from AVH | |
The Hakea rugosa, also known as the wrinkled hakea or dwarf hakea, is a cool shrub from Australia. It belongs to the Proteaceae plant family. This plant is known for its sharp, needle-shaped leaves. It also has many white or cream-colored flowers that smell nice. You can usually see it flowering from August to October.
Contents
What Does the Wrinkled Hakea Look Like?
The Hakea rugosa is a shrub that spreads out wide. It usually grows between 0.7 and 2 meters tall. Its leaves are stiff and straight, like needles. They are about 1.5 to 6 centimeters long. When new leaves and branches grow, they are covered in soft, silky hairs.
Flowers and Fruit
This plant has many cream or white flowers that grow close together. They appear where the leaves meet the stem. The flowers have a silky texture at their base. After the flowers, small, "S" shaped fruits grow. These fruits are usually at a right angle to their stalk. They are about 1.5 to 2.2 centimeters long. The fruit looks rough and wrinkled, sometimes with small dark bumps. It also has a narrow beak, which is a pointed part that bends sharply back onto the fruit.
How Did the Wrinkled Hakea Get Its Name?
The Hakea rugosa was first officially described in 1810. A botanist named Robert Brown wrote about it. He published his description in a scientific paper called Transactions of the Linnean Society of London.
Meaning of the Name
The second part of its scientific name, rugosa, comes from a Latin word. The Latin word rugosus means "wrinkled." This is why the plant is also called the "wrinkled hakea." It's a good name because its fruit often looks very wrinkled!
Where Does the Wrinkled Hakea Grow?
The dwarf hakea likes to grow in sandy or loamy soil. You can find it in areas with mallee scrub or coastal heath. These are types of natural bushland. Its home stretches from the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia all the way to western Victoria.
