Hakea cygna

Hakea cygna is a Western Australian shrub.^[1]

The shrubby species is nonsprouting, erect, 0.4 to 2.0 m, with branchlets that become densely haired in the flowering period. Flowering will occur at a time between July and October, the inflorescence is compacted on racemes, 10 - 14 creamy or white flowers; these arrangements are upright appearing at the now silky terminal branchlets. Pedicel - 2–5 mm long; tepal - 4–6 mm; pistil 5–7 mm.

The leaves are simple, and narrow or obovate; they are thick, glabrous, 20 – 75 mm long, 1.2 – 9 mm wide; flat or nearly circular in cross section. The margin is complete and has a prominent venation; longitudinal veins may be three and are indistinct.

Fruit and seeds will appear on short stalks, and are ovate in form; the fruit is elliptic, 20–37 mm long, 12–20 mm wide, with a slender tip. Seed tending to triangular and is winged - pale brown and darkly striated.

Distribution

It is widely distributed especially to a corridor of the eastern regions of the southwest botanical province, from the Esperance Plains to the northern biogeographic regions. Stony, gravelly loams or sands, particularly laterite sands.^[3] It also extends into the Eremaean province, and to the region around the Swan River - it is from here that the name was derived, cygna for Swan.

Subspecies

There are currently two subspecies:

• (Variant) Hakea cygna Lamont subsp. cygna: Swan Fruit Hakea

widespread, the entire population excepting that below. It is of Least Concern, at least with regard to extinction.^[1]

• Hakea cygna subsp. needlei Lamont:^[2]

the leaves might be narrower, needle-like; pistils, tepals slightly shorter. It is found in a small population near Lake King in the Esperance Plains region. The conservation status is that of a threatened, though poorly known species.^[4]

References