Ptilotus latifolius

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Ptilotus latifolius
Ptilotus latifolius.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Amaranthaceae
Genus: Ptilotus
Species:
P. latifolius
Binomial name
Ptilotus latifolius
R.Br., 1848; Ewart & O.B. Davies, Fl. North. Terr. 100 (1917)
Distribution map for Ptilotus latifolius.jpg
Distribution map for Ptilotus latifolius in Australia

Ptilotus latifolius, the tangled mulla mulla, is a perennial herb that is native to Australia, [1] which grows abundantly on sand dunes and stony plains. The key diagnostic features of this plant are its very stem bound, shrub like appearance with densely clustered white white flowers with pink tips when newly blossomed. Each stem is generally supported by one to two leaves and the stems have a fluffy textures as well as the flowers. The petiole is generally long in this species and spike bound. [2]

Contents

Taxonomy

Ptilotus latifolius is a part of the Ptilotus genus which consists of approximately 120 species of annual and perennial herbs and scrubs in the family Amaranthaceae. All species are native to mainland Australia [3] with most of the diversity in this genus occurring in Western Australia in the Pilbara. [4] Common names for the species in this genus include mulla mulla, foxtail, pussy tail and lambs tail. A number of species in the Ptilotus genus are listed as threatened or priority flora in Western Australia.

Reproduction and dispersal

Seeds develop inside enclosed tepals which acts as a seed cases and is distributed by the wind. [5]

Related Research Articles

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<i>Lycopus</i> Genus of flowering plants

Lycopus is a genus in the family Lamiaceae. They are all herbaceous plants native to Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America. The species are most often found in wetlands, damp meadows, and stream banks. Some of the wetland species have become endangered.

<i>Sium suave</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Ptilotus</i> Family of shrubs

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.

<i>Frankenia pauciflora</i> Species of plant

Frankenia pauciflora, the common sea-heath or southern sea-heath, is an evergreen shrub native to southern Australia. It is part of the Frankenia genus of the Frankeniaceae family.

<i>Ptilotus macrocephalus</i> Species of plant

Ptilotus macrocephalus is a native Australian perennial herb growing up to 50 centimetres (20 in) high. The species was originally described as Trichinium macrocephalum by Robert Brown in 1810 based on specimens from Victoria, Australia. In 1816, it was first transferred to the genus Ptilotus by Jean Louis Marie Poiret. While once considered distributed throughout most of the Australian mainland, current research limits the distribution of P. macrocephalus to south-eastern Australia, mostly in south-eastern South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. A study by Hammer et al. (2019) determined that specimens previously identified as P. macrocephalus are morphologically and ecologically distinct species, the now named Ptilotus xerophilusT.Hammer & R.W.Davis and Ptilotus psilorhachisT.Hammer & R.W.Davis.

<i>Chrysocephalum semipapposum</i> Species of plant

Chrysocephalum semipapposum, commonly known as clustered everlasting is a perennial shrub native to Australia. Clustered everlasting belongs to the family Asteraceae. C. semipapposum produces terminal flowers heads in clusters, mainly between spring and early summer with silver-grey appearing stems and branches. It grows up to 40cm high and 60 cm high, although there have been some varieties which can grow up to 1 m. C. semipapposum is often confused with Chrysocephalum apiculatum or 'yellow buttons', due to their similar appearances. C. semipapposum has 4 different subspecies, however they lack distinctive qualities and are often hard to identify. C. semipapposum is endemic to Australia and can be found in multiple states, most notably within Victoria. The plant is found in a variety of habitats including dry rocky regions. Clustered everlasting often grows sparsely and is rarely found in abundance and can be mistaken for a weed. Clustered everlasting has many uses, including as a source of nectar for butterflies, cut flowers or as an addition to a garden.

<i>Geranium potentilloides</i> Species of flowering plant

Geranium potentilloides, belongs to the family Geraniaceae, and is a small prostrate perennial herb that can grow up to 60cm high. The species is commonly referred to as Soft Cranesbill or Cinquefoil geranium.

<i>Ptilotus exaltatus</i> Species of plant

Ptilotus exaltatus, more commonly known as pink mulla mulla, is an erect annual herb endemic to large parts of arid and semi-arid Australia. It grows throughout most areas of Australia except the Nullarbor Plain, occurring geographically above a line drawn from Perth to Esperance. The species was first observed and described in 1810, and comprehensively catalogued in 1971.

<i>Gahnia grandis</i> Species of plant

Gahnia grandis is a tussock-forming perennial plant found in southeastern mainland Australia and Tasmania.

<i>Oxalis glabra</i> Species of flowering plant

Oxalis glabra is a member of the wood-sorrel family, Oxalidaceae. It is only one of the 800 total species belonging to this family. The plant is commonly known as finger-leaf due to its trifoliate leaf structure. This trifoliate structure can be seen in variations throughout all members of the genus Oxalis. However, the particularly narrow leaflets of the glabra plant look more like fingers rather than a common clover. The plant is native to South Africa and can be found carpeting the ground of woodlands and bushlands.

<i>Lomandra effusa</i> Species of plant

Lomandra effusa is a perennial, dioecious, rhizomatous herb native to Australia. It is a perennial tussock with bluish green, large, arching leaves which are distinctive by the two toothed leaf tip. It has white, cream or pink fragrant flowers during the months of June to October.

<i>Lomandra multiflora</i> Species of plant in Asparagaceae family

Lomandra multiflora is a perennial, rhizomatous herb found in Australia. Lomandra multiflora is also commonly known as many-flowered mat rush, mat rush and many flowered mat-lily. Lomandra multiflora is a species that is native to Australia and can be found in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Northern Territory of Australia and also in Papua New Guinea. The mat rush is distributed widely in the region and common within its preferred growing conditions. The conservation status of Lomandra multiflora is considered not to be of concern and risk.

<i>Vernonia baldwinii</i> Species of flowering plant

Vernonia baldwinii, commonly known as western ironweed or Baldwin's ironweed, is a perennial herb native to the central United States. It is in the Asteraceae (aster) family.

Calotis cymbacantha, the showy burr daisy, is a species of Calotis native to the arid areas of Australia. It is a perennial herb that grows between 10 and 40 cm tall. It has hairy erect stems which are woody at the base and produces yellow flowers.

<i>Ptilotus pyramidatus</i> Species of herb

Ptilotus pyramidatus, the pyramid mulla mulla, is a small white herb in the family Amaranthaceae.

<i>Ptilotus schwartzii</i> Species of grass-like plant

Ptilotus schwartzii is a grass-like plant in the Amaranthaceae family.

<i>Austrostipa mollis</i> Species of grass

Austrostipa mollis, also known as the soft speargrass or supple speargrass is a robust, erect tufted perennial speargrass in the Poaceae family. It is native to Australia, and found in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, ACT and Tasmania.

<i>Maireana erioclada</i> Species of Australian plant

Maireana erioclada, commonly known as the rosy bluebush, is a common shrub endemic to Australia, belonging to the genus Maireana.

References

  1. "PlantNET - FloraOnline". plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
  2. "Fact sheet for Ptilotus latifolius". www.flora.sa.gov.au. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
  3. Australia, Atlas of Living. "Species: Ptilotus latifolius (Tangled Mulla Mulla)". bie.ala.org.au. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
  4. Royal Botanical Gardens (1849). "Ptilotus latifolius". Plants of the World Online.
  5. Urban, Anne (2001). Wildflowers & plants of inland Australia (1 ed.). Alice Springs: Paul Fitzsimons. ISBN   064641688X.