Ptilotus capitatus
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| Ptilotus capitatus | |
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Amaranthaceae |
| Genus: | Ptilotus |
| Species: | P. capitatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Ptilotus capitatus | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Ptilotus capitatus is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae and is endemic to north-western Australia. It is an erect or spreading perennial herb or shrub with lance-shaped stem leaves and spikes of white or brown flowers.
Ptilotus capitatus is an erect or spreading perennial herb or shrub that typically grows to 0.25–1 m (9.8 in – 3 ft 3.4 in) high. There are no leaves at the base of the plant, but the stems have lance-shaped leaves arranged alternately, 8–70 mm (0.31–2.76 in) long and 2–26 mm (0.079–1.024 in) wide. The flowers are white or brown and densely arranged in oval or cylindrical spikes. The bracts are 4.0–4.8 mm (0.16–0.19 in) long and the bracteoles are 4.4–5.2 mm (0.17–0.20 in) long, colourless, glabrous and awned. The outer tepals are 4.8–5.7 mm (0.19–0.22 in) long and the inner tepals are 4.5–5.3 mm (0.18–0.21 in) long. The style is 1.5–2.0 mm (0.059–0.079 in) long and fixed to the centre of the ovary. Flowering occurs from April to September.[2]
Taxonomy
This species was first formally described in 1859 by Ferdinand von Mueller who gave it the name Psilotrichum capitatum in his Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae.[3][4] In 1930, Charles Gardner transferred the species to Ptilotus as P. capitatus.[5] The specific epithet (capitatus) means 'capitate'.[6]
Distribution
Ptilotus capitatus grows on sandy or clay soils in rocky places in the Central Kimberley, Dampierland, Northern Kimberley, Ord Victoria Plain and Victoria Bonaparte bioregions of northern Western Australia and the Northern Territory.[2][7]