Hakea yambulla

Named to accommodate a population of broad-leaved plants from Yambulla Peak Track on the upper reaches of the Genoa River, Vic. A comparison of the holotype of Hakea yambulla with MEL collections of H. eriantha from Qld, NSW and Victoria shows that most of the morphological character states that purportedly separate H. yambulla from H. eriantha fall within the range of variation of H. eriantha (q.v.). Hakea yambulla was described based on a few plants cultivated on the property of the authors, and has not been relocated in the wild since first collected in 1979. The comparative table of character states provided in the paper describing the species also demonstrates that the range of measurements provided for H. eriantha are based on a limited number of specimens. An effort to relocate the plants at Yambulla Peak Track is warranted to assess the variation of the plants in the population, and to collect additional specimens to facilitate a more detailed study. Until such a comparative study can be conducted on the plants at Yambulla Peak Track, and of H. eriantha, Hakea yambulla is not accepted here as a distinct species.