Hakea linearis

Hakea linearis is a shrub or tree in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It has smooth branches, mostly linear leaves and white flowers.

Description


The shrub or tree typically grows to a height of 0.6 to 4 m. The branches are glabrous as are the thin evergreen leaves which have a linear to narrowly elliptic shape and are 2 to 8 cm in length with a width of 2 to 7 mm. It blooms from January to May or October to December and produces cream-white flowers. Each simple inflorescence contain 16 to 20 flowers with a white glabrous perianth that is 3 to 5 mm in length. The rugose to black-pusticulate fruits have an obliquely obovate shape with a curved apex. Each fruit is 1.5 to 2.5 cm in length with a width of 0.7 to 1 mm and have 2 to 4 mm long horns. The seeds within have an obliquely obovate shape and a wing down one side.

Taxonomy and naming
The species was first formally described by the botanist Robert Brown in 1810 and the description was published in Transactions of the Linnean Society of London. The specific epithet is taken from the Latin word linearis meaning "linear", which refers to the shape of the leaves. It can be confused with Hakea varia and related species.

Distribution and habitat
It is endemic to an area along the coast in the South West and Great Southern regions of Western Australia between Busselton in the west, Wagin to the north and Albany to the south. It is often found among granite outcrops and seasonally damp areas like swamps growing in sandy or sandy-clay soils and is usually part of sandy heathland or Eucalyptus woodland communitities.