Ptilotus marduguru

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

Ptilotus marduguru is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae and is endemic to northern inland Western Australia. It is a perennial herb with upright branches, the shoots, leaves and flower parts covered with soft, woolly hairs, and greenish white or creamy green flowers.

Description

Ptilotus marduguru is a perennial herb that typically grows to a height of up to 70 cm (28 in) and 50 cm (20 in) wide, with several upright branches forming open bushes. The shoots, leaves and outer flower parts are covered with soft, woolly hairs. There are crowded, spatula-shaped up to about 80 mm (3.1 in) long and 30 mm (1.2 in) wide at the base of the plant and stem leaves up to 120 mm (4.7 in) or more long. The flowers are greenish white or creamy green and densely arranged in a candle-like spike 5–30 cm (2.0–11.8 in) long. There are narrowly egg-shaped bracts 4.3–5.0 mm (0.17–0.20 in) long and more or less heart-shaped bracteoles mostly 4.2–4.5 mm (0.17–0.18 in) long with a prominent midrib. The outer tepals are straw-coloured, 7.7–8.1 mm (0.30–0.32 in) long and the inner tepals 7.0–7.8 mm (0.28–0.31 in) long. There are five stamens and the style is 3.2–3.8 mm (0.13–0.15 in) long and fixed to the centre of the ovary. ^{[2] [3]}

Taxonomy

Ptilotus marduguru was first formally described in 1980 by Gerard Benl in the journal Nuytsia from specimens collected by Alex George near Godfreys Tank on the Canning Stock Route in 1979. ^{[3] [4]} The specific epithet (marduguru) refers to the aboriginal name "marduguru marduguru", which means 'downy", referring to "the fine short hairs as on the feathers of young birds". ^{[3] [5]}

Distribution

This species of Ptilotus has been recorded as "common on rocky slopes of sandstone gorges" and is only known from the type location in the Great Sandy Desert bioregion of inland northern Western Australia. ^{[2] [3]}

Conservation status

Ptilotus marduguru is listed as "Priority Two" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, ^[2] meaning that it is poorly known and from one or a few locations. ^[6]

See also

• List of Ptilotus species

References

1. "Ptilotus marduguru". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
2. "Ptilotus lazaridis". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
3. Benl, Gerhard (1980). "Five new taxa of Ptilotus (Amaranthaceae) from Western Australia". Nuytsia. 3 (2): 157–161. doi:10.58828/nuy00053 . Retrieved 27 October 2025.
4. "Ptilotus marduguru". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
5. George, Alex S.; Sharr, Francis A. (2023). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings - A Glossary (fifth ed.). Kardinya: Four Gables Press. p. 255. ISBN   9780645629538.
6. "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. Retrieved 27 October 2025.