Hakea cristata, commonly known as the snail hakea,[3] is a shrub in the family Proteaceae native to Western Australia. An ornamental prickly shrub with attractive foliage and creamy white rounded flowers appearing in profusion in the winter months.
Snail hakea | |
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Hakea cristata | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Proteales |
Family: | Proteaceae |
Genus: | Hakea |
Species: | H. cristata
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Binomial name | |
Hakea cristata | |
Occurrence data from Australasian Virtual Herbarium |
Hakea cristata is a straggly, upright, multi-stemmed shrub typically growing to a height of 1 to 3.5 metres (3 to 11 ft), smaller branches smooth. The leaves grow alternately are more or less egg-shaped tapering toward the base, 4.5 to 8 centimetres (1.8 to 3.1 in) long and 2 to 5 cm (0.8 to 2.0 in) wide. The leaf margins are toothed and prickly, new growth smooth and an attractive pink-reddish colour. The smooth mid-green leaves have a central vein ending in a stiff sharp point. Each inflorescence is composed of 24-42 faintly scented cream white flowers and appear in upper leaf axils from May to August. The perianth is 2 to 4 mm (0.079 to 0.157 in) long and smooth. The style is smooth. The fruit distinguish this species having a toothed crest that runs along each side of the underside of the fruit valve ending in a triangular horn at the apex. Fruit grow at an angle on the stalk are egg-shaped 3.5 to 5 cm (1.4 to 2.0 in) long and 2.3 to 3 cm (0.91 to 1.18 in) wide. The surface has spiky toothed ridges, fruit may remain green even at maturity. The winged elliptic seeds are 3 to 3.4 cm (1.18 to 1.34 in) long.[3][4][5][6][7][8]
Hakea cristata was first formally described by the botanist Robert Brown in 1830 and published in Supplementum primum prodromi florae Novae Hollandiae.[2][9] The specific epithet (cristata) is derived from the Latin word cristatus meaning "tufted" or "crested",[10] referring to the crests along each side of the fruit.[4]
The snail hakea is specifically associated with lateritic soils and granite outcrops in the jarrah forests of the Darling Scarp between Chittering and Mundaring.[3] It is usually part of open Eucalyptus wandoo woodland communities.[4]