Ptilotus clementii

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Ptilotus clementii
Ptilotus clementii.jpg
Near Papulankutja
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Amaranthaceae
Genus: Ptilotus
Species:
P. clementii
Binomial name
Ptilotus clementii
Synonyms [1]
Flower detail Ptilotus clementii Fagg.jpg
Flower detail

Ptilotus clementii, commonly known as tassel top, [2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae and is endemic to northern Australia. It is an erect to spreading annual herb, with hairy stems and leaves, green spikes of oval or cylindrical spikes of flowers with five stamens.

Contents

Description

Ptilotus clementii is an erect, compact shrub that typically grows up to 0.3–1 m (1 ft 0 in – 3 ft 3 in) high, and has hairy stems and leaves. The leaves are lance-shaped to elliptic, 15–60 mm (0.59–2.36 in) long and 4–13 mm (0.16–0.51 in) wide. The flowers are green, borne in oval to cylindrical heads 30–80 mm (1.2–3.1 in) long and 35–53 mm (1.4–2.1 in) wide. There are bracts 7.5–10.5 mm (0.30–0.41 in) long with a prominent midrib, and similar bracteoles 6.6–10 mm (0.26–0.39 in) long, at the base of the flowers. The outer tepals are 18–23 mm (0.71–0.91 in) long and the inner tepals 17–22 mm (0.67–0.87 in) long and glabrous on the inner surface. There are five stamens and the style is sometimes S-shaped, 11.6–18 mm (0.46–0.71 in) long. Flowering occurs from March to November and the fruit is 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) long and 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) wide. [2] [3]

Taxonomy

This species was first formally described in 1905 by Leo Farmar, who gave it the name Trichinium clementii in the Bulletin de l'Herbier Boissier, from specimens collected by Emile Clement between the Ashburton and De Grey Rivers in north-western Australia. [4] [5] In 1958, Gerhard Benl transferred the species to Prilotus as P. clementii in Mitteilungen der Botanischen Staatssammlung Munchen. [6] [7] The specific epithet (clementii) honours the collector of the type specimens. [8]

Distribution and habitat

Tassel top is found on rocky hills, limestone ridges and plains in the Carnarvon, Central Ranges, Dampierland, Gascoyne, Gibson Desert, Great Sandy Desert, Great Victoria Desert, Little Sandy Desert, Ord Victoria Plain, Pilbara and Tanami bioregions of Western Australia, [2] the Burt Plain, Central Ranges, Channel Country, Davenport Murchison Ranges, Finke, Gibson Desert, Great Sandy Desert, Gulf Fall and Uplands, Gulf Plains, Little Sandy Desert, MacDonnell Ranges Mitchell Grass Downs, Mount Isa Inlier, Ord Victoria Plain, Pilbara, Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields and Tanami bioregions of the Northern Territory, [3] and the Mount Isa-Cloncurry area of north-west Queensland. [9]

Conservation status

Ptilotus clementii is listed as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, [2] and as of "least concern" under the Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act [3] and the Queensland Government Nature Conservation Act 1992 . [10]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Ptilotus clementii". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Ptilotus clementii". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  3. 1 2 3 "Ptilotus clementii". Northern Territory Government. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
  4. ↑ "Trichinium clementii". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
  5. ↑ Farmar, Leo (1905). "Contributions to our knowledge of Australian Amarantaceae". Bulletin de l'Herbier Boissier. 5: 1088–1089. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
  6. ↑ "Ptilotus clementii". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
  7. ↑ Benl, Gerhard (1958). "Beitrag zu einer Revision der Gattung Ptilotus R.Br. (Amaranthaceae)". Mitteilungen der Botanischen Staatssammlung München. 2: 405–406.
  8. ↑ George, Alex; Sharr, Francis (2021). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 165. ISBN   9780958034180.
  9. ↑ Bean, Anthony R. (2008). "A synopsis of Ptilotus (Amaranthaceae) in eastern Australia". Telopea. 12 (2): 233. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
  10. ↑ "Species profile—Ptilotus clementii". Queensland Government Department of Education and Science. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
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