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Hakea oldfieldii
Hakea oldfieldii is a shrub of the family Proteaceae and is endemic to South West region of Western Australia. It has small white or cream-yellow flowers in profusion in spring. DescriptionHakea oldfieldii is an open, straggling shrub with upright branches and growing to a height of 2.5 metres (8.2 ft). The smooth, needle-shaped leaves are more or less 20–50 mm (0.79–1.97 in) long and 1 mm (0.039 in) wide and grow alternately. The rigid dark green leaves may be curving or straight and end in a sharp point. The branchlets are smooth and covered with a bluish green powdery film. The inflorescence consists of 8-20 white or cream-yellow flowers in a raceme in the leaf axils on a smooth stalk 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) long. The flowers appear in profusion and have an unpleasant scent. The over-lapping flower bracts are 3–6 mm (0.12–0.24 in) long, the pedicel 2.5–9.5 mm (0.098–0.374 in) long. The smooth, cream-white perianth 1.5–2.5 mm (0.059–0.098 in) long and the pistil 3–4.5 mm (0.12–0.18 in) long. The fruit are egg-shaped almost rounded, 16–23 mm (0.63–0.91 in) long, 8–10 mm (0.31–0.39 in) wide with an uneven surface, occasionally warty ending with two prominent horns about 5 mm (0.20 in) long. Flowering occurs from August to October.[2][3][4] Taxonomy and namingHakea oldfieldii was first formally described by George Bentham in 1870 and published the description in Flora Australiensis.[5][6] The specific epithet oldfieldii honours Augustus Frederick Oldfield who first discovered the species.[4] Distribution and habitatThis species is found in the south-west from Bunbury and Busselton to the Stirling Range growing in well-drained rocky loam or clay over ironstone in winter-wet sites.[7] Conservation statusHakea oldfieldii is classified as "Priority Three" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife[2] meaning that it is poorly known and known from only a few locations but is not under imminent threat.[8] References
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