''Ptilotus'' R.Br. is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
of approximately 120 species of annual and perennial herbs and shrubs in the family
Amaranthaceae
Amaranthaceae is a family of flowering plants commonly known as the amaranth family, in reference to its type genus ''Amaranthus''. It includes the former goosefoot family Chenopodiaceae and contains about 165 genera and 2,040 species, making it ...
. All species are native to mainland
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
,
although one species, ''
Ptilotus spathulatus
''Ptilotus spathulatus'' (R.Br.) Poir. (pussy tails) is a species of perennial herbs in the genus ''Ptilotus,'' native to Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania. It is the only species of ''Ptilotus'' that occu ...
'' (R.Br.) Poir., also occurs in
Tasmania
)
, nickname =
, image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdi ...
and another, ''
Ptilotus conicus'' R.Br., in
Malesia
Malesia is a biogeographical region straddling the Equator and the boundaries of the Indomalayan and Australasian realms, and also a phytogeographical floristic region in the Paleotropical Kingdom. It has been given different definitions. The ...
on the islands of
Flores
Flores is one of the Lesser Sunda Islands, a group of islands in the eastern half of Indonesia. Including the Komodo Islands off its west coast (but excluding the Solor Archipelago to the east of Flores), the land area is 15,530.58 km2, and th ...
and
Timor
Timor is an island at the southern end of Maritime Southeast Asia, in the north of the Timor Sea. The island is East Timor–Indonesia border, divided between the sovereign states of East Timor on the eastern part and Indonesia on the western p ...
.
Most of the diversity is in Western Australia, particularly in the Pilbara.
Common names for species in this genus include mulla mulla, foxtails, pussy tails and lamb's tails. The genus was first formally described by botanist
Robert Brown in ''
Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae
''Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen'' (Prodromus of the Flora of New Holland and Van Diemen's Land) is a flora of Australia written by botanist Robert Brown and published in 1810. Often referred to as ''Prodromus Flora Novae ...
'' in 1810.
In family-level phylogenetic studies, ''Ptilotus'' has been placed within a clade informally known as the 'aervoids'. It has been resolved as monophyletic and is closely related to ''
Aerva
''Aerva'' is a genus of plants in the family Amaranthaceae. Its species are native to the palaeotropics, throughout continental Africa, Madagascar and smaller islands (Rodrigues, Mauritius, Socotra), through parts of the Middle East, India, and s ...
'' Forssk.
An interactive
key
Key or The Key may refer to:
Common meanings
* Key (cryptography), a piece of information that controls the operation of a cryptography algorithm
* Key (lock), device used to control access to places or facilities restricted by a lock
* Key (map ...
to the species of ''Ptilotus'' is available at
KeyBase
KeyBase is a database and web application for managing and deploying interactive taxonomic keys for plants and animals developed by the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria
Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria are botanic gardens across two sites&ndas ...
.
Species
Conservation status
A number of ''Ptilotus'' species are listed as
threatened or priority flora in Western Australia:
*
''Ptilotus'' ''actinocladus'' T.Hammer & R.W.Davis, Priority 1
*
''Ptilotus'' ''alexandri'' Benl, Priority 2
*
''Ptilotus'' ''andersonii'' R.W.Davis, Priority 1
*
''Ptilotus'' ''beardii'' Benl, Priority 3
*
''Ptilotus'' ''blackii'' Benl, Priority 3
*
''Ptilotus'' ''caespitulosus'' F.Muell., Presumed Extinct
*
''Ptilotus'' ''chortophytus'' (Diels) Schinz, Priority 1
*
''Ptilotus'' ''chrysocomus'' R.W.Davis, Priority 1
*
''Ptilotus'' ''clivicola'' R.W.Davis & T.Hammer, Priority 2
*
''Ptilotus'' ''crispus'' Benl, Priority 1
*
''Ptilotus'' ''crosslandii'' (F.Muell.) Benl, Priority 3
*
''Ptilotus'' ''daphne'' Lally, Priority 1
*
''Ptilotus'' ''falcatus'' R.W.Davis & T.Hammer, Priority 1
*
''Ptilotus'' ''fasciculatus'' W.Fitzg., Priority 4
*
''Ptilotus'' ''lazaridis'' Benl, Priority 3
*
''Ptilotus'' ''luteolus'' (Benl & H.Eichler) R.W.Davis, Priority 3
*
''Ptilotus'' ''marduguru'' Benl, Priority 2
*
''Ptilotus'' ''mitchellii'' Benl, Priority 1
*
''Ptilotus'' ''mollis'' Benl, Priority 4
*
''Ptilotus'' ''procumbens'' Benl, Priority 1
*
''Ptilotus'' ''pyramidatus'' (Moq.) F.Muell., Threatened (Declared Rare)
*
''Ptilotus'' ''rigidus'' Lally, Priority 1
*
''Ptilotus'' ''sericostachyus'' subsp. ''roseus'' (Moq.) Benl, Priority 1
*
''Ptilotus'' ''subspinescens'' R.W.Davis, Priority 3
*
''Ptilotus'' ''tetrandrus'' Benl, Priority 1
*
''Ptilotus'' ''trichocephalus'' Benl, Priority 4
*
''Ptilotus'' ''wilsonii'' Benl, Priority 1
*
''Ptilotus'' ''yapukaratja'' R.W.Davis & T.Hammer, Priority 1
Gallery
Image:Ptilotus exaltatus Pilbara.jpg, '' Ptilotus exaltatus'' Nees
Image:Ptilotus obovatus bisexual flower.jpg, ''Ptilotus obovatus
''Ptilotus obovatus'' (Gaudich.) F.Muell. is a shrub in the genus '' Ptilotus'' R.Br. that occurs in throughout arid Australia. It is commonly known as cotton bush.
References
obovatus
Endemic flora of Western Australia
Eudicots of West ...
'' (Gaudich.) F.Muell.
Image:Ptilotus eriotrichus.jpg, '' Ptilotus eriotrichus'' (Gaudich.) F.Muell.
Image:Ptilotus stirlingii.jpg, ''Ptilotus stirlingii
''Ptilotus'' R.Br. is a genus of approximately 120 species of annual and perennial herbs and shrubs in the family Amaranthaceae. All species are native to mainland Australia, although one species, '' Ptilotus spathulatus'' (R.Br.) Poir., also occ ...
'' (Lindl.) F.Muell. subsp. ''stirlingii''
Image:Ptilotus declinatus.jpg, '' Ptilotus declinatus'' Nees
Image:Ptilotus fusiformis.jpg, '' Ptilotus fusiformis'' (R.Br.) Poir.
Image:Ptilotus nobilis.jpg, ''Ptilotus nobilis
''Ptilotus nobilis'', commonly known as yellow tails, is an annual or short-lived perennial herb of the family Amaranthaceae. It is found in arid regions of South Australia, southern and eastern Northern Territory, western Queensland and western ...
'' (Lindl.) F.Muell
Image:Ptilotus appendiculatus.jpg, ''Ptilotus appendiculatus
''Ptilotus'' R.Br. is a genus of approximately 120 species of annual and perennial herbs and shrubs in the family Amaranthaceae. All species are native to mainland Australia, although one species, '' Ptilotus spathulatus'' (R.Br.) Poir., also occ ...
'' Benl
Image:Ptilotus latifolius.jpg, ''Ptilotus latifolius
''Ptilotus latifolius'', the tangled mulla mulla, is a perennial herb that is native to Australia, which grows abundantly on sand dunes and stony plains. The key diagnostic features of this plant are its very stem bound, shrub like appearance wi ...
'' R.Br.
Image:Ptilotus drummondii.jpg, '' Ptilotus drummondii'' (Moq.) F.Muell.
Image:Ptilotus_macrocephalus2.jpg, '' Ptilotus xerophilus'' T.Hammer & R.W.Davis
Image:Ptilotus_rotundifolius2.jpg, ''Ptilotus rotundifolius
''Ptilotus rotundifolius'' (F.Muell.) F.Muell. is a pink-flowered species of shrub in the genus ''Ptilotus'' R.Br. (Amaranthaceae). It is commonly known as "royal mulla mulla". It is native to the Gascoyne, Murchison (Western Australia), Murchis ...
'' (F.Muell.) F.Muell.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q146942
Amaranthaceae genera