Lake Keepit Hakea - profile

Indicative distribution

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Key:

known

predicted

The areas shown in pink and/purple are the sub-regions where the species or community is known or predicted to occur. They may not occur thoughout the sub-region but may be restricted to certain areas. ( click here to see geographic restrictions). The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.

Scientific name: Hakea pulvinifera

Conservation status in NSW: Endangered

Commonwealth status: Endangered

Profile last updated: 14 Oct 2024

Description

Lake Keepit Hakea is described as a root-suckering shrub to about 4 m high with thick tessellated bark, young branchlets softly hairy. Its leaves are 10 cm long and divided into two to nine sharply pointed, pine needle shaped segments. Each leaf segment is 2 - 4 cm long and 2 mm wide. The small yellow-white flowers are about 1 cm long and grow in pairs. No viable fruits are produced naturally in the wild as the genetically single 'individual' is self-incompatible.

Distribution

Lake Keepit Hakea is confined to the North West Slopes of NSW, where it is known from a single population near Lake Keepit, north-east of Gunnedah. Attempts are currently in progress to expand the population to nearby sites.

Habitat and ecology

Associated species at the site include Alstonia constricta and Acacia decora. A sparse cover of grasses and forbs forms a ground layer but at least fifty percent of the site is bare earth or rock. The most common ground cover species is the introduced plant Petrorhagia nanteuilii. Other common species are the grasses Themeda australis, Cymbopogon obtectus and Aristida species.
Recorded from a single population on a hard rocky hillside near Lake Keepit. The site is hot and dry and well drained.
The altitude of the site is around 300 metres above sea level and the Hakea pulvinifera population is relatively well protected from wildfire due to the proximity of river and general lack of fine fuels.
Flowering time is September to October. Flowering within the population is usually short and synchronous, lasting around 2 to 3 weeks. No natural fruiting has ever been recorded although fruits have been artificially stimulated under nursery condtions. Large individuals have been speculated to be hundreds of years old.
Apparently reproduces only by root suckers.
It is not known whether Hakea pulvinifera is fire resistant (the site has not been burnt in recent years) but judging by the corky bark it may tolerate at least low intensity burns.
The total population of Hakea pulvinifera is spread over one hectare and comprises approximately 80 mature individual stems (ramets). Few small suckers are present; currently there are about 20 young plants less than 50 cm in height. Two size classes within the population were recorded in 1988, suggesting that reproduction may accompany environmental perturbations.

Regional distribution and habitat

Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.

Nandewar

Threats

The small, highly restricted population is vulnerable to stochastic events.
Browsing by domestic stock, feral goats, rabbits and macropods hinders the recruitment of ramets. Associated soil erosion has recently become a greater problem due to intensive macropod browsing on site during a long-term drought. Although the species is deep-rooted, loss of soil could further hinder recruitment.
Disturbance from recreational activities at the only known site of Hakea pulvinifera is a potential threat.
The prognosis for the remaining wild population in the short term (the next 20 years) appears to be reasonable. However given its limited genetic resources, the eventual demise of the species in the wild may be inevitable.
The possible invasion of the site by competing plants such as Callitris glaucophylla needs to be monitored. To date competitors are not a serious problem to the Hakea.
There is a potential for the introduction of diseases, particularly soil-borne pathogens to the site.
There is a remote possibility that flood waters and/or soil and substrate saturation may promote a rock slide or land slip. In such an event the entire wild population could be destroyed.
It is possible that the absence of fire may hasten the demise of the species, given the sole method of reproduction. Many Hakea species are adapted to fire which often promotes growth from lignotubers, root suckers or epicormic shoots.
Foot traffic on the steep slope occupied by wild plants causes erosion, which remains a slow but important threat to long term habitat quality.

Recovery strategies

A targeted strategy for managing this species has been developed under the Saving Our Species program; click here for details. For more information on the Saving Our Species program click here

Activities to assist this species

Protect the Lake Keepit Hakea from damage by introduced herbivores.
Protect areas of known and potential habitat from clearing and erosion.
Fence off areas to protect from trampling by people and stock and browsing damage. Fencing would also minimise the risk to the population posed by soil-borne pathogens and disease.
If necessary control of the invasion of Callitris glaucophylla or other competitors at the Lake Keepit site.
Report new records of Lake Keepit Hakea to the OEH.

Information sources

Barker, R.M., Haegi, L. and Barker, W.R. (1999) Hakea. Flora of Australia 17B: 44
Barker, R.M., Harden, G.J., Haegi, L. and Barker, W.R. (2000) Hakea. In Harden, G.J., Hardin, D.W and Godden, D.C. (eds) Proteaceae of New South Wales (New South Wales University Press: Sydney).
Barker, W.R. and Morrison, S.P. (1989) Hakea pulvinifera L. Johnson (Proteaceae): A rediscovered species under threat. Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens 11(2): 175-177.
Benson, J. (1988) Survey Report on Hakea pulvinifera (Proteaceae) L. Johnson. Keepit State Recreation Area Unpublished report NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service: Sydney.
Briggs, J.D. and Leigh, J.H. (1996) Rare or Threatened Australian Plants. Revised Edition. (CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne)
CANB Herbarium Records. () Databased specimen records from the Canberra Botanic Gardens and Australian National Botanic Gardens (CSIRO and Australian National Botanic Gardens: Canberra).
Harden, G.J. (1991) Hakea. In Harden, G.J. (ed.) Flora of New South Wales. Volume 2 (New South Wales University Press: Sydney).
Hosking, J.R. and James, T.A. (1998) Native and exotic flora of the North Western Slopes upstream of the junction of the Peel and Namoi Rivers, New South Wales. Cunninghamia 5(3): 721-766
Hunter, J.T., Bell, D.M. and Earl, J. (1999) Survey for Hakea pulvinifera in the Lake Keepit Area (NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service: Sydney).
Johnson, L.A.S. (1962) Taxonomic notes on Australian plants. Contributions to the NSW National Herbarium 3(3): 93-102.
Jones, E. (1997) Conservation of Rare Hakea pulvinifera. Unpublished Honours Thesis (University of New England: Armidale).
Leigh, J., Boden, R. and Briggs, J. (1984) Extinct and Endangered Plants of Australia (The Macmillan Company of Australia Pty Ltd: Melbourne).
McGillivray, D.J. (1975) Hakea pulvinifera L. Johnson - is it extinct? Telopea 1(1): 19-32.
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (1999) Hakea pulvinifera. Draft Recovery Plan (NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service: Sydney).
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (2003) Threatened Species of the New England Tablelands and North West Slopes of NSW. (NSW NPWS, Coffs Harbour)
Wrigley, J.W. and Fagg, M. (1989) Banksias, Waratahs and Grevilleas and all other plants in the Australian Proteaceae family. Angus and Roberston, Sydney.