Ptilotus andersonii
Ptilotus andersonii is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae and is endemic to a restricted area of Western Australia. It is a prostrate, hairy, perennial herb with a spatula-shaped to lance-shaped leaves at the base of the plant, lance-shaped cauline leaves, and pink, oval spikes of flowers with two fertile stamens.
Description
Ptilotus andersonii is a prostrate hairy, perennial herb that typically grows up to high. Leaves at the base of the plant are spatula-shaped to lance-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, long and wide. Cauline leaves are arranged alternately, flat, lance-shaped to egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base. The flowers are pink, borne in oval heads or loose panicles long and wide on the end of the stems. There are brown, lance-shaped to narrowly egg-shaped, bracts long and broadly egg-shaped bracteoles long at the base of the flowers. The tepals are green with pink tips, narrowly lance-shaped, the outer tepals long, the inner tepals long. There are two fertile stamens long and three staminodes less than long. Flowering has been observed in September.
Taxonomy
Ptilotus andersonii was first formally described in 2015 by Robert Davis in the journal Nuytsia from specimens collected on Burnerbinmah Station in 1996. The specific epithet honours Don Anderson, the owner, later caretaker of Burnerbinmah Station who collected the type specimen.
Distribution and habitat
Ptilotus andersonii is only known from the type specimen, in the Yalgoo bioregion of Western Australia, where it grows in open woodland on loamy soils.
Conservation status
This species of Ptilotus is listed as "Priority One" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, meaning that it is known from only one or a few locations where it is potentially at risk.