Ptilotus Xerophilus

''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 occurs in Tasmania and another, ''Ptilotus conicus'' R.Br., in Malesia on the islands of Flores and Timor. 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'' 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'' Forssk. An interactive key to the species of ''Ptilotus'' is available at KeyBase.

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'' (Gaudich.) F.Muell.
Image:Ptilotus eriotrichus.jpg, '' Ptilotus eriotrichus'' (Gaudich.) F.Muell.
Image:Ptilotus stirlingii.jpg, ''Ptilotus stirlingii'' (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'' (Lindl.) F.Muell
Image:Ptilotus appendiculatus.jpg, ''Ptilotus appendiculatus'' Benl
Image:Ptilotus latifolius.jpg, ''Ptilotus latifolius'' 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'' (F.Muell.) F.Muell.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q146942

Amaranthaceae genera