| There are over 140 species endemic
to Australia, and more than half are found in the south-west of Western
Australia. In Tasmania we think of Hakeas as having terete (needle-like),
sharp-pointed leaves, thus requiring careful handling, but this is by no
means true of all species, especially from W.A where the leaves can be quite
varied -fan-shaped, rounded or closely resembling the leaf of the northern
hemisphere holly - which makes them particularly useful as foliage plants.
Hakeas are small to medium woody shrubs, or sometimes small trees. Most have
conspicuous and exceptionally attractive flowers, in some cases similar
to the grevilleas. The fruits are nut-like and woody, of varying shapes
and sizes, that split in two and release two winged seeds. In all but a
few species, the fruit remains intact until the bush dies or is damaged by
fire. |
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HAKEA TERETIFOLIA Dagger Hakea
Common in coastal heaths in Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. An open or compact shrub, spreading or erect to 3 m. Very prickly terete leaves to 5 cm; white flowers in axillary clusters occur in spring and summer. Fruits are dagger-shaped, crowded along the stem. The seeds regenerate after fire. |
| HAKEA SERICEA Silky Hakea
An erect. much-branched shrub, 4 m high and 3 m across. Terete prickly leaves to 6 cm and white or pink flowers in axillary clusters, occurring in winter and spring. Fruits large and prominent. This species has become naturalised in several overseas countries and in South Africa is declared noxious. |
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HAKEA SERICIA
(white form-showing fruit) Flinders Island endemic |
| HAKEA NODOSA Yellow
Hakea Found on Flinders, Cape Barren and Clarke Islands, Tasmania, Victoria and South Australia. 
Researched from Launceston Field Naturalists Club, J.W. Wrigley and Murray Fagg, and Australian Plants Society of Tasmania Identikits. |
A bushy shrub of damp places with
slender branches up to 4 m tall. Leaves green, flexible, cylindrical or
somewhat flattened, fine-pointed but not sharp, up to 4 cm long. Flowers
tiny, yellow and crowded along upper branchlets, tube 2-3mm long, slender,
splitting into 4 lobes, perianth (outer parts) without hairs. Fruit, brown
woody capsule, 2-3 cm long and about 2 cm broad with rough warty surface
and small beak. Flowers May to June.
Also found in Tasmania, H. lissosperma and H. epiglottis.
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