Ptilotus crispus

Ptilotus crispus
Conservation status
Priority One — Poorly Known Taxa (DEC)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Amaranthaceae
Genus:	Ptilotus
Species:	P. crispus
Binomial name
Ptilotus crispus Benl [1]

Ptilotus crispus is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae and is endemic to the north of Western Australia. It is a more or less prostrate ephemeral herb, with oblong to linear stem leaves, and oval to cone-shaped or cylindrical spikes of sometimes more than 60 white flowers.

Description

Ptilotus crispus is a more or less prostrate, ephemeral herb up to 20 cm (7.9 in) tall and spreading to more than 30 cm (12 in) or more with three to five stems. Up to 20 leaves are sparsely arranged along each stem, oblong to almost linear 5–10 mm (0.20–0.39 in) long and 2–3.5 mm (0.079–0.138 in) wide tapering to a petiole up to 1.2 mm (0.047 in) long. There are no leaves at the base of the plant. The flowers are white and arranged singly or in pairs in leaf axils in up to 30 oval to cone-shaped spikes 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long and 4.5 mm (0.18 in) wide with 10 to 15 flowers, or cylindrical spikes 15 mm (0.59 in) and 4 mm (0.16 in) wide. The bracts are 0.6–0.9 mm (0.024–0.035 in) long 0.4–0.6 mm (0.016–0.024 in) wide and the bracteoles are 1.0–1.2 mm (0.039–0.047 in) long and 0.4–0.6 mm (0.016–0.024 in) wide. The tepals enlarge to 2.2–2.8 mm (0.087–0.110 in) long after flowering, and there are five stamens and a central style, the ovary expanding to 0.7 mm (0.028 in) long. ^{[2] [3]}

Taxonomy

Ptilotus crispus was first formally described in 1984 by Gerhard Benl in the journal Nuytsia from specimens collected 3.6 km (2.2 mi) north of the Kalumburu airstrip in 1985. ^{[2] [4]} The specific epithet (crispus) means 'little curled' or 'litle crinkled', referring to the hairs on the tepals. ^[5]

Distribution and habitat

Ptilotus crispus grows on rock outcrops, on the summit of ridges on sandstone, and on coastal dunes in the Northern Kimberley bioregion of northern Western Australia. ^{[2] [3]}

Conservation status

This species of Ptilotus is listed as "Priority One" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, ^[3] meaning that it is known from only one or a few locations where it is potentially at risk. ^[6]

See also

• List of Ptilotus species

References

1. "Ptilotus crispus". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
2. Benl, Gerhard (1988). "Ptilotus crispus, a new species of Amaranthaceae in the Kimberley Division of Western Australia". Nuytsia. 6 (3): 319–323. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
3. "Ptilotus crispus". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
4. "Ptilotus crispus". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
5. George, Alex; Sharr, Francis (2021). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 173. ISBN   9780958034180.
6. "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. Retrieved 20 April 2025.