Hakea cycloptera
Elm-seed hakea (Hakea cycloptera) is a small shrub native only to the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. It grows as a straggly plant about 0.3–1.3 meters tall and spreads in a dense form.
The plant has white, smooth young branches and leaves. Its leaves are needle-shaped, 5–15 cm long and 1.1–1.9 mm wide, ending in a sharp point.
From December to August, it produces many pale pink or white flowers in axillary clusters. Each cluster contains 1–14 flowers. The flower stems are 0.5–3 mm long with flattened white hairs. The smooth pedicels are 2.5–6 mm long. The perianth is pink or white, 4–6.5 mm long, smooth, bluish-green with a powdery film. The style is 7–12 mm long.
The fruit is warty or wrinkled, broadly elliptic to circular, 2.5–4 cm long and 2–3.4 cm wide, with a coarse short beak.
Hakea cycloptera was named by botanist Robert Brown in 1810. The name cycloptera comes from Greek words meaning "circle" and "wing," referring to the seed wing. It grows in sandy soil in mallee scrub and can tolerate moderate frosts. It is a useful, dense shrub for dry conditions and wildlife habitat.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 09:46 (CET).