Ptilotus senarius is a species of small, slender shrub in the family Amaranthaceae endemic to northern Queensland, Australia. Long presumed extinct after not being recorded since 1967, the species was rediscovered in June 2025 by a citizen scientist using the iNaturalist platform.[1][2][3]
Ptilotus senarius grows as a small shrub reaching approximately 50 to 60 centimeters in height.[1] It produces purple-pink flowers described as resembling "exploding fireworks with feathers".[4] Key botanical features include:
Flowers: The perianth is 15–19 mm long during anthesis, with tepals that appear grey when dried.[2]
Stamens: It typically possesses three fertile stamens.[2]
Stems: Its stems are uniquely covered in small stellate (star-shaped) hairs.[2]
Inflorescence: The flower spikes are few-flowered, typically containing 1 to 6 (occasionally up to 8) individual flowers.[2][5]
Taxonomy
The species was first formally described by Australian botanist Anthony Bean (A.R. Bean) in 2014 in the journal Austrobaileya.[2] The description was based on a holotype specimen collected in May 1967 near the Gilbert River.[5] It is closely related to Ptilotus nobilis subsp. semilanatus but is distinguished by its narrower leaves, stellate hairs on its stems, and fewer flowers per inflorescence.[2]
Distribution and habitat
The species has a highly restricted distribution in rough country between Georgetown and Croydon in northern Queensland, specifically within the Gilbert River region.[6][5] Its habitat consists of "tea-tree forest" dominated by Melaleuca species and "grassy hills".[2][1]
Rediscovery
Before 2025, Ptilotus senarius was known from only two herbarium specimens collected in 1925 and 1967.[6] In June 2025, horticulturist Aaron Bean photographed an unusual plant on a private property in the Gilbert River region and uploaded the images to iNaturalist.[1] Researchers from the University of New South Wales and the Queensland Herbarium confirmed the identification through subsequent field visits.[6][4]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
