''Hakea myrtoides'', commonly known as myrtle hakea, is a shrub

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to the woodlands of the

Darling Range The Darling Scarp (), also referred to as the Darling Range or Darling Ranges, is a low escarpment running north–south to the east of the Swan Coastal Plain and Perth, Western Australia. The escarpment extends generally north of Bindoon, West ...

near

Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...

Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...

Description

''Hakea myrtoides'' is a ground hugging shrub which may grow to in height and forms a

lignotuber A lignotuber is a woody swelling of the root crown possessed by some plants as a protection against destruction of the plant stem, such as by fire. Other woody plants may develop basal burls as a similar survival strategy, often as a respons ...

. Mauve, pink or crimson flowers grow in clusters in the leaf axils along the arching branchlets in winter and early spring, followed by small

ovoid An oval () is a closed curve in a plane which resembles the outline of an egg. The term is not very specific, but in some areas of mathematics (projective geometry, technical drawing, etc.), it is given a more precise definition, which may inc ...

woody seed capsules that are less than in diameter with a short slightly curving beak. The rigid leaves are small, broad-elliptic and myrtle-like (hence ''myrtiodes'') and are about in length with a prominent mid-vein and tapering to a sharp point. In cultivation the plant in often

grafted Grafting or graftage is a horticultural technique whereby tissues of plants are joined so as to continue their growth together. The upper part of the combined plant is called the scion () while the lower part is called the rootstock. The succ ...

onto ''

Hakea salicifolia ''Hakea salicifolia'', commonly known as the willow-leaved hakea, is a species of flowering plant that is Endemism, endemic to eastern Australia. It is an adaptable, fast growing small tree or shrub with attractive foliage and cream white flowe ...

'', which enables it to grow in a wider variety of soil conditions.

Taxonomy and naming

This species was first formally described by

Johann Georg Christian Lehmann Johann Georg Christian Lehmann (25 February 1792 – 12 February 1860) was a German botanist. Born at Haselau, near Uetersen, Holstein, Lehmann studied medicine in Copenhagen and Göttingen, obtained a doctorate in medicine in 1813 and a do ...

in 1845 and the description was published in ''

Plantae Preissianae ''Plantae preissianae sive enumeratio plantarum quas in australasia occidentali et meridionali-occidentali annis 1838-1841 collegit Ludovicus Preiss'', more commonly known as ''Plantae preissianae'', is a book written by Johann Georg Christian Le ...

''. It is named from the genus ''Myrtus'' - myrtle and from the Greek ''oides'' - similar to, referring to leaf shape.

Distribution and habitat

A restricted species growing near

with intermittent occurrences north to

Victoria Plains Victoria Plains is a rural locality in the Mackay Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , Victoria Plains had a population of 338 people. Geography Victoria Plains has the following mountains: * Dals Lookout in the north-east of the locality ...

, it grows in

lateritic Laterite is a soil type rich in iron and aluminium and is commonly considered to have formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are of rusty-red coloration, because of high iron oxide content. They develop by intensive and prolo ...

sandy clay, granite outcrops and

wandoo Wandoo is the common name for a number of Western Australian ''Eucalyptus'' species, all of which have smooth white bark. The original "wandoo" is ''Eucalyptus wandoo''. Additional species have been given this name because of a perceived likeness w ...

woodlands. It is an ornamental garden plant good for rockeries and as a ground cover in a well-drained, open, sunny site.

Conservation status

''Hakea myrtoides'' is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government

Department of Parks and Wildlife The Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPaW) was the department of the Government of Western Australia responsible for managing lands described in the ''Conservation and Land Management Act 1984'' and implementing the state's conservation and en ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5640398 myrtoides Eudicots of Western Australia Plants described in 1845 Taxa named by Carl Meissner