126 PROTEACEAE 
Hakea 
HAKEA Schrader 
An endemic Australian genus of c. 140 species; 14 species in the NT but only 1 in the DR. 
H. arborescens R.Br. 
Small tree to 8 m. Bark rough, grey, fissured. 
Indumentum of branchlets, young leaves, inflores- 
cence and perianth densely sericeous with ferrugi- 
nous to hyaline medifixed hairs. Leaves sessile; blades 
entire, linear to narrowly oblanceolate or narrowly 
elliptic, 50-185 mm long, 3-11 mm wide, L/W 9.5- 
43, coriaceous, venation parallel but obscure. 
Inflorescence axillary, unbranched, to 30(50) mm 
long, clustered in heads. Perianth free, silvery or 
ferruginous. Hypogynous glands fused, horseshoe- 
shaped. Ovary shortly stipitate, glabrous; style hairy 
in lower half or glabrous, pollen presenter conical, 
terminal. Fruit a follicle, ellipsoid, 28-58 mm long, 
14-26 mm wide, thickly woody, smooth to slightly 
verrucose, beaked. Seeds 2, obovoid, 10-15 mm 
long, black, wing 15-18 mm long, membranous. 
Flowering: Jan - July; fruiting: persisting throughout 
the year. Fig. 36 
Widespread from Qld to the Kimberley and 
extending into the arid zone. Uncommon in the DR 
where known from the Elizabeth R. area and Howard 
Springs. Associated with coastal dunes or inland on 
alkaline soils. 
HELICIA Lour. 
A genus of c. 90 species from Asia to Malesia and Australia. About 8 species in Australia with | in the NT. 
[Foreman, 1983] 
H. australasica FMuell. 
Small tree to 10(15) m. Bark smooth and pale. 
Indumentum of branchlets, inflorescence and pedicels 
of small ferruginous medifixed hairs. Petiole 6-17 mm 
long. Leaf blades; juvenile leaves large and coarsely 
dentate; adult leaves discolorous, narrowly elliptic, 
elliptic to oblanceolate, 100-210 mm long, 26-80 mm 
wide, L/W 2.1-4.7, strongly reticulately veined, 
entire or dentate. Inflorescence axillary, unbranched, 
to 190 mm long. Pedicels fused at base. Flowers in 
pairs, actinomorphic. Perianth free, white to cream, 
ciliate. Hypogynous glands free. Ovary sessile, 
hirsute with ferruginous hairs; style glabrous, pollen 
presenter erect. Fruit fleshy, dark purple to black, 
ellipsoid, 10-15 mm long. Seeds 2. Flowering: July - 
Noy; fruiting: Jan - Mar. Fig. 36 
Qld and the NT. Common in the DR in perennially 
wet rainforest. Ripe fruit are edible. 
PERSOONIA Smith 
A genus of c. 90 species; endemic to Australia; 1 species in the NT. The genus Pycnonia was described by 
Johnson & Briggs (1975) to accommodate 6 species from SW Australia and the widespread northern species 
Persoonia falcata; however this new genus has not been taken up. 
P. falcata R.Br. 
Small tree to 8 m. Bark rough, grey. Young 
branchlets with dense silvery simple hairs. Leaves 
sessile; blades subglaucous, straight or falcate, 
linear to oblanceolate to broadly oblanceolate, 95- 
280 mm long, 8-55 mm wide, L/W 3.5-34, coriaceous, 
venation obscure except for midrib, base attenuate, 
entire. Inflorescence axillary or terminal, often 
growing out into a leafy shoot, unbranched, to 220 
mm long, flowers subtended by bracts or leaves. 
Flowers zygomorphic. Perianth free, yellow. 
Hypogynous glands 4, free. Ovary sessile, glabrous; 
style short, curved, glabrous, truncate. Fruit a 
fleshy drupe, yellow-green, ellipsoid, 15-20 mm 
long. Flowering: June - Oct; fruiting: Oct - Jan. 
Fig. 36 Milky Plum 
Widespread across northern Australia in open 
woodland; common in the DR. Fruits are edible. 
