Ptilotus mitchellii
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| Ptilotus mitchellii | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Amaranthaceae |
| Genus: | Ptilotus |
| Species: | P. mitchellii |
| Binomial name | |
| Ptilotus mitchellii | |
Ptilotus mitchellii is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae and is endemic to northern inland Western Australia. It is a bushy shrublet or straggling shrub with a single stem and many densely leafy shoots, the stem leaves glabrous, and oval or cylindrical clusters of magenta or red flowers.
Ptilotus mitchellii is a bushy shrublet or straggling shrub that typically grows to a height of up to about 1 m (3 ft 3 in), with a single stem and many densely leafy shoots. The stem leaves are arranged alternately, 8–40 mm (0.31–1.57 in) long, 3–15 mm (0.12–0.59 in) wide and glabrous or becoming glabrous. The flowers are magenta or red and densely arranged in oval or cylindrical spikes. There are colourless, glabrous bracts 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) long and bracteoles 3.5–3.8 mm (0.14–0.15 in) long, all with a prominent midrib. The outer tepals are 6.0–6.5 mm (0.24–0.26 in) long and the inner tepals 5.9 mm (0.23 in) long. The style is 2.4 mm (0.094 in) long, straight and fixed to the centre of the ovary. Flowering occurs from September to October.[2][3]
Taxonomy
Ptilotus mitchellii was first formally described in 1994 by Gerard Benl in the journal Sendtnera from specimens collected about 6 km (3.7 mi) west of Mount Boggola at the end of a Newcrest exploration track.[3][4] The specific epithet (mitchellii) honours "Mr. Andrew A. Mitchell, who was then officer-in-charge of the Department of Agriculture Karratha".[3]
Distribution
This species of Ptilotus is only known from the type location in the Gascoyne bioregion of northern inland Western Australia.[2][3]