Hakea teretifolia

taxobox
name = "Hakea teretifolia"

---

image_caption = "H. teretifolia"
- Botany Bay National Park,
Kurnell, New South Wales
regnum = Plantae
unranked_divisio = Angiosperms
unranked_classis = Eudicots
ordo = Proteales
familia = Proteaceae
subfamilia = Grevilleoideae
genus = "Hakea"
species = "H. teretifolia"
binomial = "Hakea teretifolia"
binomial_authority = (Richard Salisb.) Britten, 1796|

"Hakea teretifolia", commonly known as the Dagger Hakea, is a species of woody shrub of the Proteaceae family common on heathlands in coastal Eastern Australia from Northern New South Wales through to Victoria and Tasmania. A very prickly shrub it is rarely cultivated but easy to grow.

Taxonomy

It has a complicated taxonomic history; initially named as "Banksia teretifolia" by Richard Salisbury, [ Salisbury R (1796) "Prodr. Stirp. Chap. Allerton" 51.] then taxonomically correctly as "Hakea glabra" by Heinrich Schrader in 1797 in his newly described genus "Hakea". [Schrader H, Wendl. J. C. (1797) "Sert. Hannov." 27, t. XVII.] "Conchium longifolium" was another subesquent name and Antonio José Cavanilles called it "Hakea pugioniformis". [Cavanilles AJ (1800) "Anales Hist. Nat." 1: 213, t. 11 ] The original specific epithet "teretifolia" is derived from the Latin "teres" "rounded" and "folium" "leaf". [cite book | last = Simpson | first = D.P. | title = Cassell's Latin Dictionary | publisher = Cassell Ltd. | date = 1979 | edition = 5 | location = London | pages = 883 | id = ISBN 0-304-52257-0] The full name for the species is therefore "Hakea teretifolia" (Salisb.) Britten APNI | name = "Hakea teretifolia" (Salisb.) Britten | id = 46345]

It was classified in "Hakea" sect. "Hakea" series "Pubiflorae" by George Bentham in his "Flora Australiensis",cite encyclopedia | author = Bentham, George | year = 1870 | title = | encyclopedia = | volume = Volume 5: Myoporineae to Proteaceae | pages = 491,500 | location = London | publisher = L. Reeve & Co.] but was reclassified on its own in the "Teretifolia" group in the 1999 Flora of Australia treatment.cite encyclopedia | author = Barker RM, Haegi L, Barker WR | year = 1999 | title = Hakea| editor = Wilson, Annette | encyclopedia = Flora of Australia | volume = Volume 17B: Proteaceae 3: Hakea to Dryandra | pages = 94-95 | publisher = CSIRO Publishing / Australian Biological Resources Study | id = ISBN 978-0-643-06454-6]

Two closely related subspecies are recognised, the nominate subspecies "teretifolia" and "H. t" subsp. "hirsuta".

Description

A prickly shrub, it can reach 3 m (10 ft) in height. It has spirally arranged thick tough succulent spike-tipped leaves. Flowering occurs in summer though some may be seen in winter. The small white inflorescences occur on branches and consist of 4-8 individual small flowers. These are followed by sharp pointed (dagger-shaped) seed pods from where the plant gets its common name.

Subspecies "hirsuta" can be distinguished by its more densely hairy perianths and pedicels.

Distribution and habitat

"H. teretifolia" subsp. "teretifolia" ranges from Coffs Harbour south through the Sydney region to the Budawang Range in New South Wales. Subsp. "hirsuta" occurs further south from the Sydney region through to Tasmania with a separate population in the Grampians in western Victoria.

It is found on sandstone soil-based heathland, and can form dense thickets with the Heath Banksia ("Banksia ericifolia") and Scrub She-oak ("Allocasuarina distyla"); [cite book |author = Fairley A, Moore P |title=Native Plants of the Sydney District:An Identification Guide |year=2000 |edition= 2nd ed.|publisher=Kangaroo Press |pages=173 |location=Kenthurst, NSW |isbn=0-7318-1031-7]

Cultivation

It is rarely cultivated but an easy plant to grow provided it has a sunny aspect. Unlike many other proteaceae it can be tolerant of poor drainage. It s extremely prickly foliage can make a good deterrent.cite book |last=Holliday |first=I |authorlink=Ivan Holliday |title=Hakeas: A Field and Garden Guide |year=2005|pages = 204-205 |publisher= New Holland Press |location=Sydney |isbn=1-877069-14-0] When planted in clumps, this species provides an excellent shelter for small birds such as Superb Fairy-wrens ("Malurus superbus") and the smaller sized honeyeaters. It can also prove a prickly deterrent for burglars. [cite book |last=Dengate |first=J |title=Attracting Birds to Your Garden |year= 2000 |publisher=New Holland Press|pages=21 |location=Sydney |isbn=1-86436-411-4]

References