About Acacia hakeoides A.Cunn. ex Benth.
Acacia hakeoides, commonly known as hakea wattle, is a bushy shrub or small tree that typically grows 1 to 4 meters (3 feet 3 inches to 13 feet 1 inch) tall, and has glabrous branchlets. Its phyllodes are narrowly egg-shaped to lance-shaped, with the narrower end oriented toward the base. Most phyllodes are 40 to 120 millimeters (1.6 to 4.7 inches) long and 3 to 12 millimeters (0.12 to 0.47 inches) wide, with one or two glands along the edges and a prominent midvein. The species produces bright golden-yellow flowers, arranged in a 10 to 80 millimeter (0.39 to 3.15 inch) long raceme borne at the base of phyllodes. Each raceme holds six to twelve clusters, and each cluster contains 20 to 30 individual flowers 4 to 6 millimeters (0.16 to 0.24 inches) in diameter. Flowering typically occurs from July to November. After flowering, the plant develops a straight or twisted seed pod that is 70 to 120 millimeters (2.8 to 4.7 inches) long and 4 to 7 millimeters (0.16 to 0.28 inches) wide. The dull black seeds are 5 to 7 millimeters (0.20 to 0.28 inches) long, and have a club-shaped aril. Hakea wattle is widespread and common in open scrub, Eucalyptus woodland, or mallee habitats. Its distribution spans western New South Wales, north-western Victoria, southern coastal areas of South Australia including the Nullarbor region, and the Coolgardie, Hampton, Mallee, and Nullarbor bioregions of southern Western Australia. The seeds of Acacia hakeoides are edible. It has been suggested that these seeds are suitable for culinary use as a flavouring agent, a stable carbohydrate source, or a coffee substitute, among other uses. One study has listed this species as a medium priority species of interest for domestication for seed production. The scientific name of this species is Acacia hakeoides A.Cunn. ex Benth.
