Hakea constablei

Hakea constablei is a compact rounded shrub to small tree growing to 1.8 to 6 metres (5.9 to 19.7 ft) high. The needle-shaped bright green pointed leaves are 3 to 11 centimetres (1 to 4 in) long and 1 to 1.6 millimetres (0.0 to 0.1 in) wide. New growth is hairy, branches are arching hanging loosely and despite the pointed leaves not particularly prickly. The bright green leaves are needle-shaped and about 10 cm (3.9 in) long. It produces cream-white flowers from September to November on the previous seasons stems. Each inflorescence is composed of 6 to 12 flowers with a cream white perianth that is 3–4.2 mm (0.12–0.17 in) long. The style about 10 mm (0.39 in) long with a cone shaped stigma. The large rounded fruit are 4.3 to 5.5 centimetres (1.69 to 2.17 in) long and 3 to 3.5 cm (1.18 to 1.38 in) wide. The dark grey surface is covered with warty protuberances, ending with horns 0.5 to 1.8 mm (0.020 to 0.071 in) long. The dark brown seed are 2.7 to 3.7 cm (1.06 to 1.46 in) long with a wing down one side.^[2][3][4][5]

Hakea constablei was initially found in 1899 but the specimen was inadvertently stored with another Hakea. It was overlooked until 1950 when E.F. Constable collected the species near the Blue Mountains and brought it to the attention of botanists at the Sydney Herbarium. The species was first formally described by the botanist Lawrence Alexander Sidney Johnson in 1962 and published in Contributions from the New South Wales National Herbarium.^[3][6] The specific epithet honours Ernie Constable a former seed and plant collector for the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney. He collected mostly in New South Wales, including the type specimen for the species.^[2][7]