Ptilotus parviflorus

Ptilotus parviflorus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Amaranthaceae
Genus:	Ptilotus
Species:	P. parviflorus
Binomial name
Ptilotus parviflorus (Lindl.) F.Muell. [1]
Synonyms [1]
Ptilotus obovatus var. lancifolius Benl Ptilotus obovatus var. parviflorus(Lindl.) Benl Trichinium parviflorum Lindl. Trichinium subviride Domin Trichinium virgatum A.Cunn. ex Moq.

Habit in Bladensburg National Park

Ptilotus parviflorus is a sparsely branched, woody shrub of the family Amaranthaceae and is found in north-eastern Australia. It has densely hairy branchlets, narrowly elliptic to spoon-shaped leaves and spikes of grey flowers with a pink tip.

Description

Ptilotus parviflorus is a sparsely branched, woody shrub that typically grows to a height of 30–50 cm (12–20 in), its branchlets densely covered with whorled hairs. The leaves are arranged alternately, more or less sessile, narrowly elliptic to spoon-shaped, 23–57 mm (0.91–2.24 in) long, 5.3–15 mm (0.21–0.59 in) wide, pale green, smooth and hairy. The flowers are borne in oval to cylindrical spikes on the ends of branchlets, 12–37 mm (0.47–1.46 in) long with many flowers on a rachis 10–35 mm (0.39–1.38 in) long. There are broadly egg-shaped, translucent, boat-shaped bracts 2.6–3.5 mm (0.10–0.14 in) long and similar bracteoles 2.5–3.7 mm (0.098–0.146 in) long at the base of the flowers. The perianth is 5.6–7 mm (0.22–0.28 in) long and grey with a pink tip, the two outer tepals 4.9–6.8 mm (0.19–0.27 in) long and the three inner tepals 4.0–6.3 mm (0.16–0.25 in) long. There are three fertile stamens and two staminodes, the ovary is glabrous and the style is conspicuously eccentric, 2.5–2.8 mm (0.098–0.110 in) long and glabrous. ^[2]

Taxonomy

This species was first formally described in 1882 by English botanist John Lindley, who gave it the name Trichinium parviflorum in Thomas Mitchell's Three Expeditions into the interior of Eastern Australia. ^{[3] [4]} In 1868, Ferdinand von Mueller transferred the species to Ptilotus as P. parviflorus in his Systematic Census of Australian Plants . ^{[5] [6]} The specific epithet (parviflorus) means 'small-flowered'. ^[7]

Distribution and habitat

Ptilotus parviflorus grows in a variety of habitats, including clay plains and is widespread in central-western Queensland, extending to near the coast near Townsville. It is also found in New South Wales as far south as Forbes and in central Northern Territory. ^{[2] [8]}

Conservation status

Ptilotus parviflorus is listed as of "least concern" under the Queensland Government Nature Conservation Act 1992 . ^[9]

References

1. "Ptilotus parviflorus". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
2. Bean, Anthony R. (2019). "Reinstatement of Ptilotus parviflorus (Lindl.) F.Muell. (Amaranthaceae)". Austrobaileya. 10 (3): 473–474. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
3. "Trichinium parviflorum". APNI. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
4. Lindley, John (1838). Mitchell, Thomas L. (ed.). Three expeditions into the interior of eastern Australia; with descriptions of the recently explored region of Australia Felix, and of the present colony of New South Wales. London: T. & W. Boone. p. 22. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
5. "Ptilotus parviflorus". APNI. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
6. von Mueller, Ferdinand (1882). Systematic Census of Australian Plants. Melbourne: Victorian Government Printer. p. 28. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
7. George, Alex S.; Sharr, Francis A. (2023). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings - A Glossary (fifth ed.). Kardinya: Four Gables Press. p. 280. ISBN   9780645629538.
8. "Ptilotus parviflorus". Northern Territory Government. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
9. "Taxon - Ptilotus parviflorus". Queensland Government WildNet. Retrieved 17 January 2026.