Hakea bakeriana is a shrub in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the Central Coast of New South Wales. It is a dense shrub with sharply pointed, cylinder-shaped leaves and pink to crimson flowers in groups of between four and twelve. The fruit is a rough, wrinkled follicle which terminates in a short beak.
Hakea bakeriana is a dense, bushy, many-branched shrub growing to NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 high and wide. It has a lignotuber from which it can resprout after fire. Smaller branches are densely covered in matted soft hairs. Simple leaves are cylindrical in shape, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and about NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 in diameter, ending in a sharp point NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long. Between 4 and 12 fragrant flowers appear on a short, hairy, upright stem NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long. Flowers often appear below the leaves or from old wood. The pink to crimson perianth is NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long. The style is about 40sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long. Pinkish-white to deep pink flowers appear from late autumn to early spring. Woody fruit have a rough and deeply wrinkled surface with paler blister-like protuberances. Fruit are approximately NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide. Fruit terminate in a beak either small and smooth or obscure.[1] [2] [3] [4]
This species was first formally described by Ferdinand von Mueller and Joseph Maiden in 1892 from a specimen collected on "a barren patch of ground close to the bank of a creek at Wallsend". The description was published in the Macleay Memorial Volume of the Linnean Society of New South Wales.[5] [6] The specific epithet honours Richard Thomas Baker, teacher, economic botanist and later a curator of Sydney's Technological Museum.[7] [8]
Hakea bakeriana grows in heath, sclerophyll forest and in dry forests on the coast and nearby ranges of New South Wales between Newcastle and Glenorie.[7]
Hakes bakeriana has been grown for many years by native plant enthusiasts and is hardy in a range of soils and climates although does best in a sunny position. It is easily grown from seed but because of the species' restricted distribution, seed may be difficult to obtain.