Hakea amplexicaulis, commonly known as prickly hakea, is a shrub endemic to south west Western Australia. An attractive small shrub with unusual stem clasping, sharply serrated foliage and a profusion of sweetly scented variable coloured flowers from late winter to spring.
Hakea amplexicaulis is an upright, straggly shrub growing to 1to high with smooth smaller branches and forms a lignotuber. The leaves are narrowly egg-shaped or totally egg-shaped, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. The stem clasping leaves are sharply toothed with 12–30 NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long teeth on each side, smooth, bluish-green with a powdery film. The inflorescence has 36-42 large, rounded and strongly scented flowers on a short stem. Clusters of white, cream, pink or red flowers appear in leaf axils; they may become pink or a reddish hue as they age. The pedicel is NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long. The perianth is smooth NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, white occasionally with a pink tinge and the style is smooth. The fruit are egg-shaped NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide, smooth with a few sharp spines, and taper to a blunt beak. Flowering occurs from August to November.[1] [2] [3]
The species was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown and the description was published in Transactions of the Linnean Society of London.[4] The specific epithet (amplexicaulis) is derived from the Latin words amplexus meaning "encircled" or "embraced"[5] and caulis meaning "stem", referring to the stem-clasping habit at the base of the leaf.[2] [6]
Hakea amplexicaulis is found in jarrah forests from Perth to Albany. This species grows in clay, loam and gravelly acidic soils in a well-drained site in sun or partial shade. A showy shrub, good for wildlife habitat and is moderately frost hardy.[1] [2]
Hakea amplexicaulis is classified as "not threatened" by Western Australian government Department of Parks and Wildlife.