Hakea actites | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Proteales |
Family: | Proteaceae |
Genus: | Hakea |
Species: | H. actites |
Binomial name | |
Hakea actites | |
Occurrence data from the Australasian Virtual Herbarium |
Hakea actites, commonly known as the mulloway needle bush [2] or wallum hakea [3] is a shrub or tree of the Proteaceae family native to areas in north eastern New South Wales and south eastern Queensland. White nectar-rich flowers appear in abundance from late autumn to early spring.
Hakea actites is a prickly shrub or tree growing to 0.3 to 5 metres (1.0 to 16.4 ft) high and forms a lignotuber. Smaller branches are silky to densely covered with short matted hairs. The light green leaves are smooth, needle-like 3.5 to 13.5 centimetres (1.4 to 5.3 in) long and 0.3 to 1.3 millimetres (0.0 to 0.1 in) in diameter ending with a sharp point 1–2 mm (0.04–0.08 in) long. The inflorescence consists of 1-6 white flowers appearing in clusters in leaf axils. Flower stalks are 0.6–1 mm (0.02–0.04 in) long covered in short rusty coloured matted hairs. The pedicel is 1.8–3 mm (0.07–0.1 in) long covered sparsely or with matted silky white and rusty coloured hairs. Perianth 3.1–4.3 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long, white and smooth, occasionally a bluish-green with a powdery film. The wrinkled egg-shaped fruit are 20–35 mm (0.8–1 in) long and 16–25 mm (0.6–1 in) wide ending with a smooth rounded beak and obscure horns. Occasionally, fruits appear with coarse blister-like protuberances. Flowers appear from May to September. Hakea actites resembles the better known Hakea sericea . [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
Hakea actites was first formally described by botanist William Barker in 1996 and the description was published in the Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Garden . The type specimen was collected from near Angourie on the North Coast of New South Wales. [1] [4] [7] The specific epithet is derived from the Ancient Greek word (aktites) meaning "shore dweller" [8] referring to the coastal regions where the species is found. [4] Mulloway needle bush is part of the Sericea group, a mostly eastern states group with simple terete leaves, inflorescences containing few flowers, hairy pedicels and single woody fruits. Other members of the group include Hakea constablei , Hakea decurrens , Hakea gibbosa , Hakea lissosperma , Hakea macraeana , Hakea sericea and Hakea tephrosperma among others. [6]
Hakea actites is found in swampy locations in coastal areas from around Hervey Bay in south-eastern Queensland in the north to a little north of Coffs Harbour in New South Wales in the south. It grows well in damp sand to sandy clay soils and is often part of open wallum heathland and Eucalyptus forest communities. [4] [6]
A very hardy species that may be grown from seed and suited to coastal swampy situations. Provides protection, nesting sites and nectar for small birds due to its prickly habit and profuse flowering. [3] [4]
Hakea is a genus of about 150 species of flowering plants in the family Proteaceae, endemic to Australia. They are shrubs or small trees with leaves that are sometimes flat, otherwise circular in cross section in which case they are sometimes divided. The flowers are usually arranged in groups in leaf axils and resemble those of other genera, especially Grevillea. Hakeas have woody fruit which distinguishes them from grevilleas which have non-woody fruit which release the seeds as they mature. Hakeas are found in every state of Australia with the highest species diversity being found in the south west of Western Australia.
Hakea scoparia is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia where it grows in shrubland. It is a shrub with ascending branches, terete leaves and clusters of cream to pinkish flowers in leaf axils from June to September.
Hakea sericea, commonly known as bushy needlewood or silky hakea, is a large shrub with a profusion of mainly white flowers from July for several months. It is endemic to eastern Australia. It has become an environmental weed in some countries.
Hakea decurrens, commonly known as bushy needlewood, is a species of shrub or small tree in the family Proteaceae.
Hakea trifurcata, commonly known as two-leaf, two-leaved hakea, or kerosene bush, is a shrub, endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. The species has two leaf forms, needle-like or oblong egg-shaped. Unlike most hakea species the fruit remain green at maturity and resemble the broader leaf form. The mimicry creates a camouflage, reducing predation of the seed by granivores in particular cockatoos.
Hakea cycloptera, commonly known as elm-seed hakea, is a shrub in the family Proteaceae endemic to South Australia. It is a small spreading shrub with an abundance of pale pink or white flowers from December to August.
Hakea tephrosperma commonly known as hooked needlewood, is a shrub or small tree species in the family Proteaceae. It has cream flowers, needle-shaped leaves and is one of the taller species adaptable for dry to temperate locations.
Hakea verrucosa is a flowering plant in the family Proteaceae that is endemic to south-west Western Australia. It has large white, deep pink or red pendulous flowers with stiff needle-shaped leaves.
Hakea leucoptera, commonly known as silver needlewood, needle hakea, pin bush or water tree and as booldoobah in the Koori language, is a shrub or small tree with rigid, cylindrical, sharply pointed leaves and white, cream-coloured or yellow flowers in late spring and early summer. It is widespread and common in central parts of the Australian mainland.
Hakea brownii commonly known fan-leaf hakea is a shrub in the family Proteaceae native to an area in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia. This species shares a common name with Hakea baxteri due to its distinctive leaves.
Hakea candolleana is a shrub in the family Proteaceae native to areas along the west coast in the Wheatbelt and Mid West regions of Western Australia. A cream-white winter flowering species, useful as a garden ground cover.
Hakea circumalata is a shrub in the family Proteaceae native to an area in the Wheatbelt and Mid West regions of Western Australia. A small shrub producing a profusion of strongly scented pink to red flowers in dense clusters from July to September.
Hakea kippistiana is a shrub in the family Proteaceae and endemic to Western Australia. It is a dense prickly shrub with sharp needle-shaped leaves with fragrant white, cream or pink flowers from November to February.
Hakea varia, commonly known as the variable-leaved hakea, is a shrub of the family Proteaceae and is endemic to Wheatbelt, South West, Great Southern and Goldfields-Esperance regions of Western Australia. It is a dense prickly shrub with creamy-white or yellow flowers and variably shaped leaves.
Hakea tuberculata is a flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to several isolated areas along the coast in the Peel, South West, Great Southern and Goldfields-Esperance regions of Western Australia. It is an upright shrub with white flowers and rigid, prickly leaves.
Hakea obliqua, commonly known as needles and corks, is a shrub in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to an area in the Wheatbelt, Great Southern and Goldfields-Esperance regions of Western Australia.
Hakea polyanthema is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae that is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub with needle-shaped leaves and small groups of small unpleasantly scented flowers in leaf axils.
Hakea psilorrhyncha is a flowering plant in the family Proteaceae, it is endemic to a small area on the west coast in the Wheatbelt and Mid West regions of Western Australia. It has needle-shaped, sharply pointed leaves and clusters of scented brownish yellow flowers.
Hakea strumosa is a shrub in the family Proteaceae endemic to an area in the Wheatbelt, Great Southern and the Goldfields-Esperance regions of Western Australia. A dense, very prickly shrub with a profusion of small, deep pink or red flowers in spring.
Hakea sulcata, commonly known as furrowed hakea, is a flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a prickly shrub with grooved, cylindrical leaves, sweetly-scented flowers and relatively small fruit.