Hakea ulicina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Furze hakea |
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| Hakea ulicina in Bunyip State Park, Victoria | |
| Scientific classification | |
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Hakea
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| Species: |
ulicina
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Hakea ulicina, commonly known as furze hakea, is a special type of shrub or small tree. It belongs to the Proteaceae family, which includes many unique Australian plants. You can find this plant growing naturally in Australia.
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What Does Furze Hakea Look Like?
Furze hakea is an upright shrub or a small tree. It usually grows to be about 2 to 5 meters (6.5 to 16 feet) tall. This plant can regrow from a special woody swelling at its base called a lignotuber.
Its leaves are long and narrow, measuring about 3 to 18 centimeters (1 to 7 inches) in length. They are only 1 to 4 millimeters (0.04 to 0.16 inches) wide. Each leaf has a clear vein running along its length.
In spring, you can see clusters of white flowers. These clusters, called conflorescences, have 6 to 18 flowers each. They grow where the leaves meet the stem. After the flowers, the plant produces fruits. These fruits are oval-shaped and grow on a short stalk. They are about 1.6 to 2.5 centimeters (0.6 to 1 inch) long and 8 to 11 millimeters (0.3 to 0.4 inches) wide. Each fruit has a small, short beak.
How Furze Hakea Got Its Name
The furze hakea was first officially described in 1830. A famous botanist named Robert Brown gave it the scientific name Hakea ulicina. He wrote about it in a book called Supplementum primum prodromi florae Novae Hollandiae.
The plant material he studied was collected by another botanist, William Baxter. Baxter found the plant in a place called Wilsons Promontory in Australia. The name ulicina comes from the Latin word ulex. This word refers to a group of plants that includes furze (like Ulex europaeus). It is believed that the furze hakea was named this because it looks similar to these plants, either in its overall shape or its leaves.
Where Does Furze Hakea Grow?
Furze hakea grows in different parts of Australia. You can find it on the southern slopes of the Great Dividing Range. This is a large mountain range in eastern Australia. It also grows in coastal heathland areas. These are open, shrubby areas near the coast.
Most furze hakea plants are found from the east of Port Phillip Bay in Victoria. They spread all the way to Eden in south-eastern New South Wales. You can also find smaller groups of these plants in the Brisbane Ranges and Anglesea, which are west of Port Phillip Bay. Some populations also exist on the Furneaux Group of islands in Tasmania.
There is a similar plant called Hakea repullulans that grows in South Australia and western Victoria. You can tell it apart from furze hakea because its leaves are wider. It also has a lignotuber, which is a woody swelling at its base that helps it regrow after fires.
Is Furze Hakea in Danger?
The furze hakea is considered a "vulnerable" species in Tasmania. This means it is at risk of becoming endangered if steps are not taken to protect it. The Tasmanian Government lists it as vulnerable under their Threatened Species Protection Act 1995. This law helps protect plants and animals that are facing threats to their survival.
